ROLLER
MATTERS (1930)
Bill Pensom
It is with much pleasure
I read Mr. W. B. Carter’s notes from New Zealand. I was particularly interested
to see he is interested in Flying Tumblers (performing). Mr. Carter’s question
as to whether tumbling and rolling is the same? My answer is: No. I can
only conclude, unfortunately, that you have not yet seen a Roller. There
are several varieties of tumbling pigeons in existence, but the most clever
and fascinating performer of all is, no doubt, the true Birmingham Roller.
All these varieties come under the same heading, Flying Tumblers. Why,
I cannot quite understand except, perhaps that common and performing Tumblers
and Rollers are identical in type and colour. The performances, however,
are totally different. Flying Tumblers are birds which, when performing,
make all their clever and erratic movements, detached, for several years
through the air. The Roller, on the other hand, rolls solid like a spinning
ball, for a considerable distance through the air in such a way that, while
rolling, it appears like a cricket ball with a small hole in the centre,
and recovers itself with a series of detached performances similar to the
Tumbler. Tumblers and Rollers are flown chiefly in kits of twenty to twenty-five.
The main feature of this is that these birds all tumble or all roll together,
gathering themselves, and again mounting to repeat the same performance.
(September 10, 1930). Most Roller fanciers should now be fully occupied
with the breeding and rearing of youngsters. Everyone has my best wishes
for a successful season. When the youngsters are about four to five weeks
old they should be separated from the old ones, when they will soon learn
to do for themselves. At six weeks old they should be ready to put out,
and every attention is needed to break them to their surroundings. If a
few old birds are let out to fly, and when they drop play the young ones
about with them (they should be kept on the hungry side), little difficulty
will be experienced in breaking them in. When you are satisfied they know
where they live, the next thing is to get them to fly by stirring them
up with a few good old birds. When they reach the age of about twelve to
fourteen weeks, if the stock were good, they should show signs of rolling
near to perfection. This period, in my opinion, is the most critical time
for your future sport. Care should be taken to watch for the duds, which
are at times difficult to detect, because when doing a turn every bird
seems to roll or do something. It is that something we watch for. It is
easy to pick out the best birds, but not so easy to find the duds. There
may appear to be no duds among them, but there are. It is comparatively
easy to get a kit of young birds to do a turn, and some fanciers are perhaps
satisfied with such, but that is far from having a first class kit of Rollers.
A good kit of Rollers is only got by judiciously sorting out the best birds
and keeping them on their own, even if you can only pick out half or less
of the number started. Much harm can be done to a kit of Rollers by letting
them go on their own way, not sorting them out at this period as mentioned.
Another important point to watch is the weather. Young birds should not
be liberated in rough weather, because in wind they are apt to develop
a nasty swing while flying, which, once they develop, they never forget,
and their good performances are finished. Whether they enjoy it or not,
I do not know, but they race up to a point, and turn back like lightning,
similar to the fly enjoyed by a large kit of Tipplers. If they do develop
it, there is no cure, and the best place for them is under a piecrust,
or they should be put down for stock. Therefore, it can easily be seen
how your year’s work can be ruined by letting your birds out at an early
age in windy weather.
Another matter I should
like to point out is the feeding. There is no doubt that proper feeding
is the only way to succeed with a stud of pigeons. You can take it from
me; there are no secrets in feeding. It only comes by experience, and if
fanciers would only pay more attention to feeding than merely buying mixed
corn, better sport would result. One thing I am certain of is that they
should be fed with each sort of grain separate. I should like to hear other
fanciers’ views on this subject. Another point I am deeply interested in
is the showing of Rollers. I see one of our American correspondents is
in fear of the day when we shall fix a standard for showing. I see no danger
whatever. The breed is too old established for its performances for it
to be spoilt by a suggested show standard. We must admit that beauty upholds
anything, and I am convinced that the Roller Fancy is yet in its infancy.
I say breed for good looks as well as performances; it can be done. The
rolling tendency, in my opinion, is too well transmitted into the breed
to give cause for anxiety for spoiling by introducing good looks as well.
I have had many good performers that were really ugly, and I feared I might
spoil the performances of their offspring by trying to breed beauty, buy
my opinion has altered. It is just as easy to combine good looks with performances,
as it is to breed for performances only. I would point out that I do not
advocate the use of a cross, far from
it. It is certain that
I should not lose sight of breeding, or keeping only the best performers,
even if I failed to breed a good looking bird. Except for a few cases in
recent months, it is about the only breed that is kept shy of the show
pen. I am speaking of the British Roller and not the Oriental, or West
of England Tumbler. There are many who keep Rollers and Tumblers simply
for the pleasure they derive from them, with no thought for improvements.
Fanciers must admit that the pigeon Fancy, as a whole, is today far more
pleasing than it was years ago. The news items, tips, and practically everything
that is known about our hobby has been put before the Fancy through the
medium of pigeons. It is a paper that is worthy of greater support. Such
literature was not available in the old days to help those pioneer fanciers,
and who make our hobby more easy and interesting by giving their experiences.
To these I offer my humble thanks. I should like to mention that I have
had marvelously good results from every point by careful inbreeding, and
I am convinced that, as in all livestock, inbreeding in Rollers is the
way to success. I have proved it both with performances and good looks.
How would Mr. G. Storey like another bird like his rosette winners with
yellow eyes, which is truly a nice bird? I congratulate him on its success.
What is Mr. G. Mannering doing these days? We have no news. We have lately
been asked for some idea of a standard for Rollers, so below I give my
opinion on same. My ideal Roller, taken as a whole, must be well balanced
in all properties, a nice medium sized bird, with full, round chest, tail
well shut, appearing as if it was only one feather; legs well placed and
rather short, with small feet and devoid of feathers, keel shallow to medium
depth, nice round head, with yellow or white eyes, surrounded by a very
fine cere. The neck should be rather thick in keeping with the body. I
like purity and richness of colour and regularity of markings. The feathers
should be broad, fair length in wing tips, and these about half to three-quarters
of an inch from end of tail. The secondaries should overlap and be a fair
length, well covered with small feathers; birds with good secondaries and
feather generally, can stay and fly with little effort, being more buoyant,
which must certainly aid the vigorous performances of a good pigeon. (October
4, 1930).
From Pigeons of England,
September 10,1930 and October 4,1930