geting them back into the loft

[chrisbonnie]

i have my young birds beating me back from 20 mile training tosses, no bother there, only thing is, they just mess about on the roofs, and wont actually come back into the loft for ages

 

any tricks i can use?

 

i was thinking of filling up the feeding tray, while their in the basket, that way they see food in the loft, and they`ll go back in, or am i kidding myself?

 

any suggestions would be great lads

[retired]

Do they trap when you fly them around home?

[pigeonpete]

i have my young birds beating me back from 20 mile training tosses, no bother there, only thing is, they just mess about on the roofs, and wont actually come back into the loft for ages

 

any tricks i can use?

 

i was thinking of filling up the feeding tray, while their in the basket, that way they see food in the loft, and they`ll go back in, or am i kidding myself?

 

any suggestions would be great lads

 

 

you need to teach them whos boss!! and with ybs its the corn tin, to much corn in my opinion mate!

 

[chrisbonnie]

Do they trap when you fly them around home?

 

yeah, but not on demand, these are my only birds, so no old ones to sho,w them the ropes

 

my general routine is let them out at about 5.30pm, after work, i then clean the loft, and feed them, they`ll be back in within 2 hours, or if i want ill leave them out for longer,

 

are they simply not hungry enough, they get 2 and half spoonfuls each of beyer young bird mix, no maize every day, how does that sound

[retired]

Cut the corn down, on the rare occasions i go training with them i have an old cassette recorder thing that has a whistle on it - I just play that in the garden so they think i am there calling them in - They come home to a few handfulls of trapping mix and get there main feed when i get back.

 

[Guest peter.j]

i put a couple of peanuts on the trap and a few more inside it

[cowman]

 

yeah, but not on demand, these are my only birds, so no old ones to sho,w them the ropes

 

my general routine is let them out at about 5.30pm, after work, i then clean the loft, and feed them, they`ll be back in within 2 hours, or if i want ill leave them out for longer,

 

are they simply not hungry enough, they get 2 and half spoonfuls each of beyer young bird mix, no maize every day, how does that sound

 

what size spoons you using i only feed 1 oz per day sunday to tues 50% barley 50% young bird mix then we to friday 100% young bird mix i feed in the evening after training or around the house except on friday when i feed at around 10am so they are hungry on return home maybe feeding young bird every feed is a bit rich for them try cutting it down adding some wheat or barley to lighten it up a bit.

[chrisbonnie]

 

what size spoons you using i only feed 1 oz per day sunday to tues 50% barley 50% young bird mix then we to friday 100% young bird mix i feed in the evening after training or around the house except on friday when i feed at around 10am so they are hungry on return home maybe feeding young bird every feed is a bit rich for them try cutting it down adding some wheat or barley to lighten it up a bit.

 

1oz per day, is that definetly enough?

[blackdog]

try giving them half ounce morning, 1 ounce evening.

[Guest pigeon82]

i only give my birds 1 ounce per day as well no more no less except on a thursday and friday they get half ounce but the stuff i give them is so rich any more they start to throw up

[swilcox]

1 oz a day and lite mix at the start of the week, it will help avoid ybs as well.

[Guest Grasshopper Lofts]

try starving them for a day mate and watch them trap then start from there

[blackdog]

could the people who only give 1 oz a day tell me how there birds exercise, the reason im asking is ive tried only giving that amount but they wouldnt exercise hardly as they were always hungry but when given 1 oz and a half they fly a lot better and still have control, thanks.

[cowman]

i feed 1oz and my birds will fly around the loft for around 2 hours unless i call them in earlier they come well from training too always content after feeding so cant see why they need more i only feed extra maize when building up for channel racing but its only 1/2oz maize per bird for 3 days before channel race.

[Guest Grasshopper Lofts]

instead of rationing try hopper feeding them and when say 4 birds go for a drink remove the corn

[Guest pigeon82]

black dog my boirds were flying about 2 to 3 hrs nearly a day sometimes i wud not even see them for these hours but when training ccommenced they fly their distance and straight in the loft gets them ready for race days getting them in as quick as possible but i have no problems if i let them out around the house now lucky to get 45 mins out of them but they get good training from their tossess im happy with this

[fred smyth]

black dog my boirds were flying about 2 to 3 hrs nearly a day sometimes i wud not even see them for these hours but when training ccommenced they fly their distance and straight in the loft gets them ready for race days getting them in as quick as possible but i have no problems if i let them out around the house now lucky to get 45 mins out of them but they get good training from their tossess im happy with this

 

if there gone round the house for 3 hours    check there feet  when they come in  bets are they are landing in a field somewhere.

[Guest pigeon82]

nope feet are clean as usual just a sign of fit birds thats all if you do not beleive that ask paddymac on this site he willk tell you my birds are fit

[fred smyth]

nope feet are clean as usual just a sign of fit birds thats all if you do not beleive that ask paddymac on this site he willk tell you my birds are fit

 

sure ill come round and check myself  

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

I do 2 things

 

1 as you said in 1st post basket the birds and then put there feed out for them when they are there they trap no problem when tossing when loft flying I let them fly round the loft close the bowl and when i want them down i put conditioning seed down in the trough and shout them down when there all down open the bowl and they go in and love the conditioning/trapping seed works well for me even from the races.

 

Makes the birds tame also when you give them it out your hand.

 

2 on a thursday after excersize feed as much as they want then feed as early as you can on friday they wont eat much but will have enough energy to race home and hungry enough when home to trap. Longer races or possible holdover feed a bit later on a friday

 

Hope this helps

[Guest Davy Fleming]

It is important you get a happy medium re-feed for y.b. and if they decide to come in when THEY want then YOU have a problem.Check first thing in morning to see if they still have some food in crop or if they are picking the moss from the rooftops. If either or both is the case then you have y.b. sickness or/and yeast probs which causes Fungal. They will fly for about 15-20  max and come down then do what they want.. Easily solved but takes a few days

[paul10121968]

it will not hurt them to keep them a little on the hungry side.as soon as they land  from their next fly get them in and feed them straight away and whatever stays out will not have any at all.keep doing this everyday they will soon get the message.sounds drastic i know but as soon as they get into the habit you should,nt have no problems trapping.

[chrisbonnie]

right, ive just checked the feed i give them, im basically giving them 1 and half ounces, i thought it was more, not much mind, ill try dropping it down to 1 and report back

[Guest bakes]

i had the same problem as you mate found out i was given them to much food now ive cut it down they are trapping alot better and coming to the call better.

 

all the best

bakes.

[chrisbonnie]

yeah, its definetly a grub issue, i reduced it slightly, not much mind, and brought them 20km away, 3rd toss, and they where back in 13 minutes, i was delighted with that, they beat me home, so the sputnik wasnt open, but my missus said they where waiting on the landing board as soon as they came in ,so thats a result!!

 

oh, by the way, whats conditioner?