The reason Why?....

[johnny11]

Hi Could someone throw some light on the reason why young birds dont come straight home from their training flights.

 

I have late youngsters and have been training 4 x 3 miles takes them somewhere between 45 mins and an hour.

 

Took them 2 x 10 miles and the same story.

 

Are these tosses too short for them as when I let them out for exercise they still run.

 

Apart from this morning when they came in two lots they all return together

 

Any ideas or help would be great

 

John

[Tony C]

Do you let them out for exercise before you train them? If not give that a try.

[bewted]

there still in that age where flying is still fun and not got the idea yet of flying from A to B in a straight line,,,,,they will catch on in the end,but,while there flying let them enjoy it and they will be getting fitter too !!

[OLDYELLOW]

some good advise there , the further down the road you take them the less there are likely to fly for fun , but rember that birds that take longer to home on short tosses see more of the terrain there likely to cross to get home , as you increase the distance they will gradualy get quicker and find there line of flight , good luck enjoy your birds

[Guest IB]

Train evening only, fewer birds about to join and go for a tour; setting sun an additional incentive for them coming straight home?

[johnny11]

Hi Thanks for the advice

 

IB its impossible for me  to train of an evening unless someone else takes them for me

 

Thanks

 

John

[Guest shadow]

get them out to 20 miles they range more than 4-5 miles from the loft on exercise

[Bluedoo]

I wouldn't worry about it at all. They longer on the wing the more they are developing their muscles, and seeing plenty of the country. If they fly well at home, they are proably going more than 3 miles away from home anyhow. If this weather ever improves, my latebreds go straight out to 15 miles.

[johnny11]

thanks these are the only birds I have so being cautious. i have 14 and these will be next years racers

[Guest paulrstokes]

Get them to a 20 mile pitch and take them to the same place as often as you can, to exactly the same place.

 

For the first few chucks they will take various times and probably come from various directions but then the penny will drop you will open the basket, and they will shoot out in a straight line for home.

 

I do this with mine and they have now been to the 25 mile stage about 20 times, now they are out of sight before you have closed the basket and are home in 30 mins exactly whatever the weather/wind

[johnny11]

Now they been to 10 miles twice would you jump them to 20 or go again to 10

 

John

[Guest paulrstokes]

One More at 10, then a couple at 15 if you wish, then to 20 and stay there.

 

One thing to always consider is when you let go at 15 or 20 if it is a clear day they will see the 10 mile pitch if not home.

 

Try and find a landmark at the 20 mile pitch, such as cooling towers, large building (church, school) lake or resevoir, power station.

 

At our 20 mile pitch there are some cooling towers, on a clear day you can see them from 40 miles away, so even when the birds have 40 plus miles to go on a race day they know where they are going

[Guest Grasshopper Lofts]

Now they been to 10 miles twice would you jump them to 20 or go again to 10

 

John

 

im a novice mate but if there for next years race team you are not in any hurry i would keep them at the 10 mile stage for a good few more tosses then slowly increase

[Guest paulrstokes]

One More at 10, then a couple at 15 if you wish, then to 20 and stay there.

 

One thing to always consider is when you let go at 15 or 20 if it is a clear day they will see the 10 mile pitch if not home.

 

Try and find a landmark at the 20 mile pitch, such as cooling towers, large building (church, school) lake or resevoir, power station.

 

At our 20 mile pitch there are some cooling towers, on a clear day you can see them from 40 miles away, so even when the birds have 40 plus miles to go on a race day they know where they are going

[BLUEBAR165]

i usually keep them at the 10 mile stagetill there home before me

[johnny11]

Thanks for all the advice

 

John

[Guest casbri]

i do as paulrstokes says 20 mile 3 days a week .i train tues wed & thurs morning from the same spot

[johnny11]

An update

 

I let the birds out first this morning to get the fly out of them. because of time I then took them to the same spot as their first tosses to see if this improves. They did it in much better time but did not still come straight back... They still came as a batch

 

John

[Pigeondoll]

We have about 24 young birds, We start about 10 miles let up in a group for a couple of chucks then split into 5s then 3s then singled up, they have a couple of wolverhamptons, then they go back to 10 miles and stay at that 40 mins round home.

[Guest TIMBARRA LOFTS]

Hi Could someone throw some light on the reason why young birds dont come straight home from their training flights.

 

I have late youngsters and have been training 4 x 3 miles takes them somewhere between 45 mins and an hour.

 

Took them 2 x 10 miles and the same story.

 

Are these tosses too short for them as when I let them out for exercise they still run.

 

Apart from this morning when they came in two lots they all return together

 

Any ideas or help would be great

 

John

 

 

 

Youngsters learn as they fly, how would you think they would learn or how much if they just came straight home..??   they will roam and learn it does them no harm, you want them to race home on race day...so motivate them for this purpose.

 

here is a schedule to follow they will respond

 

4 tosses at 15 miles

4 tosses at 25 miles

4 tosses at 50 miles

 

then one toss per week.

 

in a group is fine . but make sure you toss them in a straight line from your race point direction.

 

cheers spencer

 

 

[just ask me]

 

 

 

Youngsters learn as they fly, how would you think they would learn or how much if they just came straight home..??   they will roam and learn it does them no harm, you want them to race home on race day...so motivate them for this purpose.

 

here is a schedule to follow they will respond

 

4 tosses at 15 miles

4 tosses at 25 miles

4 tosses at 50 miles

 

then one toss per week.

 

in a group is fine . but make sure you toss them in a straight line from your race point direction.

 

cheers spencer

 

 

would agree with most of it but as we say many roads lead to rome i feel there no need for 4 tosses from 50 mile 1 or 2 would do for me id keep them at 30 mile or bit less even

 

what i do if they dont come in is straight into the basket when they come home and straight back up the road again

 

remember when training youngsters i think its better to give them 3 tosses from 15 mile lets say than 1 toss from 50 or 60 mile as the more they are in the basket the better also u are not teaching pigeons to find there way home they either have it or they don't its getting them fit is what u are dong by training and also getting them used to being in the basket

[mark]

 

 

 

Youngsters learn as they fly, how would you think they would learn or how much if they just came straight home..??   they will roam and learn it does them no harm, you want them to race home on race day...so motivate them for this purpose.

 

here is a schedule to follow they will respond

 

4 tosses at 15 miles

4 tosses at 25 miles

4 tosses at 50 miles

 

then one toss per week.

 

in a group is fine . but make sure you toss them in a straight line from your race point direction.

 

cheers spencer

 

 

toss them in a straight line from your race point direction Spencer,? on a Saturday  the wind dictates which way you come home not a straight line.

[Guest TIMBARRA LOFTS]

mark i can see your point here and as valid as it is, i would and have tossed in a straight line, yes the wind does dictate to which line they pick up, but scientific study in america shows that after about 4 tosses the pigeon has a bearing on a certain line for home, i cant remember the program that did this mate but i have done it for years and it worked for me, different things suit different people, its just an opinion mate.

 

 

 

cheers guys

[Merlin]

My method is work them out to about 25 mile on line of flight,late evenings only,keep them there making sure its a safe lib spot,BOPs etc,always late evening,4 or 5 times per week previous to racing,teaching them,release,straight home,if they do encounter any difficulties,they are close enough to get home next morning,as stated this is my way,sure there are numerous others

[Roland]

get them out to 20 miles they range more than 4-5 miles from the loft on exercise

 

Youngster range 60 - 70 miles od more from their loft.