How to wean

[Ronnie]

Ok got a real good team of fifteen younsters ive  just put them in the young bird loft all about 3-4 weeks old all eating on there own in the breding loft.Now that ive moved them to the young bird loft is there anything special that i need to take note of,I know i will have to dip them in the drinker and generally keep an eye on them eating is there anything else.

Thanks in advance guy's

[Guest CS]

Yes, about 3 - 4 weeks if they all eating on there own in the breeding lofts, its time to move them in the yb lofts, and i always have a show racer and thumbler adult hens with my youngsters in the YB lofts. So Adult show racer and thumbler will show the youngsters where is drinker and feed;s.

 

Good luck with YB's this year, Ronnie.

[crazy pigeon boy]

if you have a few spare hens then put them in with yb's for a few weeks to show them the ropes then you can take the hens out hope this helps

[Guest Vic]

During their transition, (for the first seven days) when some may not feed themselves properly, try popping a c.l.o. capsule down, each and every throat. Don't tell anybody else! ;D ;D  Vc

[pigeonscout]

Ronnie the best tip I can give you is to make yourself a table or shelf about 12 ins of the floor. This will be use to feed the young birds. Put the feed on the table and gently lift each young bird hold it for 5 to 10 seconds and put it on the table to feed. You are learning them that your hands and getting lifted means something nice. My young birds run to me as soon as I enter the loft and they never have fear of me the rest of their lives. It can be a bit time consuming but when it comes to basket time for training and racing you will be lifting a tame bird with one hand with no stress on the bird. I do not see the point of motivating a bird on a Friday if the last thing it remembers before leaving the loft is the fear of you chasing it round the loft to catch it.

You only have to do this until they can fly up unto the table themselves.

[Guest MBpigeonguy]

what if we dont have room for a shelf? i only have room for squar perches, in my young bird loft, i dont have anyyoung yet, but the breeders are scared of my exept two of them kind of like me, becouse the former owner trained them well, but ther rest are scared of me, so ow do i tame the young?

[pigeonscout]

Hinge a board to one of the walls so after feeding it can fold up tight to wall.

If you have floor space you should have room for a table at feed time then take it out.

when I say table it can be a board on top of a 2 beer crates.

[schouwman71]

when i part my youngsters the only food they get for the first couple of week is maple peas,they learn very quick eating these and they grow like hell aswell,i never have any go backwards feeding like this.

[Guest]

if u are new to flying?,  if  u get a chance sit and watch ur y/b,s if they are blinking then try dipping their heads as this could mean that they are not drinking,i feed normal feed when they are parted but i know a few in my club just feed farm beans when they are parted and they are well known/national flyers...i wouldnt myself but i feed a mixture of just about everything.i believe those 1st few days in the parting over of y/b,s are crucial and they must,nt have any stress.

everyone has their own way and i dont think there is anything wrong with that...paul

[Ronnie]

All great tip's guys thanks alot .Vic what a C.L.O capsule?The youngsters are really tame allthough i do like the idea of putting them on table so they associate lifting with kindness.I used to handle them every day after they was a week old just so they would get used to me.All in All they seem to have settled well and after checking them this evening all seemed to have corn in them and looked content.I may switch to the maple peas for a few days as they do seem to be picking out the small seed and leaving the big bit's.Again thanks alot guys this site and the people on it has been such a great help.

[Ronnie]

Ignore that last one Vic i just figured it out ,Cod liver Oil .Lol

[jimmy white]

think your doing well with them ronnie,, would agree with maples and a clo capsule, but would put them out on the board or outside ,each day let them see their surroundings,, first thing they like ,, is a bath outside

[Guest speckled]

well my best way is the esay way, pick them up dip there wattles in  the water before entering the loft & each day ya have to teach than pigeon where the water is,so what i do is pour it from a bottle so thay see it falling ok souds abot like niagra fulls but thay soon now where the drinker is after a few hours cause thay sit buy :-/ it waiting to bathe.So dont think any pill or potion will help a pigeon drink.ya can lead a horse to water but ya cant teach it to drink think that the saying.lolSpeck

[Guest TAMMY_1]

WHEN YOUNG BIRDS ARE SPLIT NEVER FEED SMALL SEEDS, ALSO I PUT A HEN IN BESIDE THEM FOR A DAY OR TWO AND THEY SOON FIND THE FOOD AND THE WATER,I NEVER DIP A BIRDS BEAK IN TO GIVE IT A DRINK THEY HAVE TO FIND IT FOR THEMSELVES,HAVE A CAGE ON THE LANDING BOARD AND THEY ARE PUT IN THIS FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS TILL THEY LEARN TO GO BACK IN THROUGH THE STALL TRAPS. I LIKE A CAGE FOR THEM TO START OFF IN BECAUSE SHOULD THEY FIRST COME OUT AND GET A SUDDEN FRIGHT THEN THEY CANNOT GO ANYWHERE, THEN AT LEAST WHEN THE CAGE IS TAKEN DOWN THEY KNOW WHER THEY CAN GO FOR SAFETY SHOULD ANYTHING HAPPEN TO SCARE THEM SUDDENLY