Young Bird Flying

cokacola · March 22, 2008

I should be getting my first young birds soon from some very kind fanciers who have offered to help me out, prior to my first season. I also have a couple of my own to wean in a couple of weeks.

I was wondering though, with the birds that have been bred by other fanciers, do I still have to keep them in for 3 weeks as is standard for breaking pigeons, or can I begin to train young birds sooner than this, as they are young and have never seen outside?

Also people often refer to "getting them in" by this I am guessing they mean that the birds respond to the owners call, have you any tips for getting pigeons to trap as soon as they are called?

Regards

Tariq.

cokacola · March 22, 2008

Thinking about it, I guess it probably depends on whether the birds can fly or not, perhaps I should keep young birds which can fly in abit longer? Though I am aware that eventually they become so strong on the wing that I could lose them.

March 22, 2008

Hi im just starting up to at the moment and have not had my birds out yet due to the weather

I was told to rattle a tin everytime I feed them and find that within a week they were straight off perches as soon as I rattled thre tin

I think the most important thing is that you are sure they are good and hungry when they first go out as food is your only real control over them at this stage good luck

March 23, 2008

I do the same as Sportka, I use the first couple of weeks to school the youngsters to come to the feeder when called. They also have access to an aviary during that time so they can get a good look around where they live.

After that schooling period I take them outside in a basket and let them sit in it for an hour facing the front of the loft. Never leave them unattended if you decide to do this. I also show the birds the way in, one at a time. Mine is an open door and I walk slowly towards it and 'throw' them through it. If I had sputnic traps I'd push them through that, although if you've a cage on a landing board, they should be doing this themselves anyway when you call them in.

When you do let them out for the first time, choose a quiet time when no-one else is around, and don't force them, leave 'the way out' open, if it was the trap and cage, take the cage away and open the trap, and let them go out in their own time. If you have old birds let these out for their fly first, wait for them to come back so that their arrival doesn't startle the youngsters into flight before they are ready. A few old birds out does help to steady the youngbirds and keep them local. They may 'roof hop' for a day or so. Only allow them on roofs at this time and only for this purpose. They go to a high point and seem to have a good look around. I think it has something to do with them getting a good fix on where they live, building up a visual map in their brain.

When they do take off, they will be strong enough on the wing to keep themselves out of trouble - don't worry when they disappear out of sight. They will come back. Though a word of warning. Don't let them out on Saturdays during the race season, and try to watch that they don't get caught up in training batches. They could end up anywhere.

Best wishes with your young birds and enjoy them.

Merlin · March 23, 2008

Wishing both of you the best,all fanciers young or old are faced with an amount of"what if" with youngsters,you can only do what you think is best,if possibile leave them walk out,,and do their own (always on an empty crop)you should have your call signal for them in being at this stage,presently they will start to excercise around loft,always have an old/birds on loft/fly with them,now my system when they are getting strong on wing,no more outing only in evenings,reason being if for any reason they decide to run impending dusk will limit their range,if they keep going,next morning hopefully they are not too far away,easier for them to navigate home,likewise when training youngsters,late evenings only,actually this should read educating youngsters,as when kept properly they are naturally fit anyway,if you have time feed sparingly good peanuts,helps to boost confidence with birds/yourself.

March 27, 2008

Decided to go for it today and let them out for first time, as I only have the 4 ybs at the moment I decided to edge my bets and let 2 out and keep 2 in, anyway I ensured they were hungry and finally opened the trap around 4 o clock, after a little look around they quickly went up onto the roof of the house, within a few minutes they were skyward one circle of the house and they were gone, within about 10 mins the one bird was back and traped quickly, an hour later still no sign of the other bird so was felllin gutted, I had even gone back in the house and made a brew, on returning to the garden (around 6.0 clock) I was now half heartedly shakin my tin and then from no where somethink nearly took my head of

yes he was back! took another 5mins to get him in, but what a RELIEF

fellin rather chuffed now they are both back safe and sound.

next time im gonna let all 4 out so fingers crossed

chubs · March 27, 2008

how old were these birds sportka? I just got my first young racers, had them in for 1 day then let them out as they had never seen outside, they've been out everyday for a few hours for 4 days now.

March 27, 2008

:)They had all just come from the nest when I got them about 5 weeks ago,

I prob could of let them out sooner as they are all on the strong side now.

I just wanted to let them get well used to me and loft and its not like i have any older birds to help train them, Just hope next trip out goes as well as im lettin the lot out