Youngsters Wont Come In

[pigeonman007]

Hi all,

For the last week or so I have been having problems with my youngsters not coming in.

I only let them out once of a day usually around 5pm after work, they fly for half hour and then spend best part of an hour picking at the house roof.

I've scalled their feed back and for the last 3 nights they have only had 1/2oz per bird and I have cut out their small morning feed, they are clearly hungry when I let them out

Last couple of days I have also had them out training during the day and they are all coming ok but still they sit on the roof, beat me back from 8mile drop today but are still sitting on the house roof 45min later.

They get minerals, grit, pick blocks and not over crowded or have problems with cats that I am aware of. Our Jack Russel is out the back all day so certainly no cat problems during the daylight hours.

Any ideas as to what I am doing wrong would be much appreciated.... I dont think my wife can put up with me moaning on about it much longer lol

[JohnQuinn]

Don't allow them to settle on the roof, it'll ultimately cost you on race days, as the birds will land there and sit looking at you! Throw a ball or small stone or even baby potatoes, but however you do it, its imperative that they not be allowed on ANY roof at any time. Your fortunes will change when you get them down where you have control over them.

[kirky]

you can only control ybs by feed you say you have cut them back, but you need to cut back again untill you get them under control then keep them on the same amount of food.

[pigeonman007]

Hi John,

I get what your saying and I have tried keeping them off the roof but they are still not interested in either landing on the loft or coming in.

My loft is in a very compact garden within a row of terraced houses so lots of available roof locations for them to shift onto.

They wasnt like this for the first couple of months of me letting them out.

I thought cutting their corn back would force them to come down as they've got to be hungry surely?

[pigeonman007]

Hi Kirky,

Should I cut them back even further from this 1/2oz of corn. I have been considering this the last couple of days but I dont want to underfeed them. They are all on natural and moulting at the moment so I am a little fearful of cutting food back whilst their moulting but I guess this is all I can do

[kirky]

Hi Kirky,

Should I cut them back even further from this 1/2oz of corn. I have been considering this the last couple of days but I dont want to underfeed them. They are all on natural and moulting at the moment so I am a little fearful of cutting food back whilst their moulting but I guess this is all I can do

it wont harm them you will be able to add extra once you have them under control.

[Delboy]

You may have the start of YBS m8.If the ybs arent responding to you then its guaranteed you have a touch of it ( providing they arent over fed ) ps. Dont chase them from house roof if there are many roofs about you as they will just land on the one furthest away and then you have bother

[pigeonman007]

Hi Spike,

They get a couple of teaspoons of bamfords tk condition (aniseed smelling) and a couple of teaspoons of canary mixture which has a little hemp in. This is in the feeder and first birds in are the ones that get the seeds. Started this with them as squeakers and they ere always straight in after a fly.

 

Hi Delboy,

I did wonder about young bird sickness, but droppings are all good, not retaining corn, no spewed up corn in the mornings at all and are flying for a good half hour or so round the house plus beating me back from training drops.

Soon as they are in the loft they are round the feeder wanting grub. They are alert enough and not hunched up.

[BLUERON]

i been haveing same probs mate and it all down to food with mine. its took a lot of time and very little food but hopefully i geting there and we also keep rollers and now have kit of 15 drop right on to loft so they are helping with my y/b i took our y/b on 15mile toss and they game right down.good luck matejust stick at it

[pigeonman007]

Half of them are in now, still have the rest sitting on the roof and going off for short 5-10minute fly arounds.

Theyve had a few drops at 8miles, will step them upto 15mile tomorrow and cut back on their corn again this evening, got to have the desired effect after a while surely.

 

Blueron, how much are you feeding your youngsters now?

[Guest Owen]

You have a serious problem there, but it is one that can be fixed with the help of another person. You train your birds to trap a bit like the Americans do when they fly in those very big Clubs with thousands of birds competing. Their birds can not afford to circle and they have to trap very quickly indeed.

First buy yourself a Clicker and teach your birds to like peanuts. If the birds are not used to peanuts it will take a few days and empty bellies to get them into it. As you feed the birds the peanuts you operate the clicker. Timeing is important and try not to use your voice because you will need another person with a differant voice to get them in later. It will be of help if you break the peanuts into bits so that all the birds have the chance to get some and this avoids the greedy ones getting too many. No bird should have more than about 3 peanuts in any one day.

Next you stop their exercise periods and keep them without food of a day. As long as you give them water they will be fine.

Then you pick a spot about 8 or 10 miles away on the line of flight. Ideally you need your Helper to take the birds to this spot and after a rest of about 10 minutes release them. As they arrive at the home end you attempt to trap them using your clicker. Give them a few pinches of seed as they enter the loft. No feed. Feed them a reduced amount at the end of the day.

When they are all inside you basket them again and repeat the process for anything up to 10 times on the same day. Each time they enter the loft they are rewarded with their seed and the event is marked with the Clicker.

At first you will find it heavy going and you will have to keep at it, but by repeating the process as often as you have to, you will have pigeons that will take a lot of beating.

[peterpau]

They some times forget to associate your call with food try keeping 'em in for a few days and feed em to your call as normal this'll work if they aint quite got it sorted yet.

[bluecock]

Don't allow them to settle on the roof, it'll ultimately cost you on race days, as the birds will land there and sit looking at you! Throw a ball or small stone or even baby potatoes, but however you do it, its imperative that they not be allowed on ANY roof at any time. Your fortunes will change when you get them down where you have control over them.

 

john you should know you don't throw anything at them you'll never get them down especially on race day they'' be to scared the guy should do it old school and give them what they want until a couple go for a drink and lift the grub,it's not done me any harm and i don't have any problems getting them in .fG C\

[Guest Davy Fleming]

pigeonman007, where do you stay about mate ?????

[pigeonman007]

Hi Don,

Yes, have been shaking the corn tin every feed since they have become independant, they used to as you say rush to the feeder pushing eachother out of the way on the drop board on their way in. They just seem un interested now.

 

 

Finally they are now in. I have given them 3oz of corn over 10 birds this evening and will get them out to a 10-15mile drop tomorrow. Hopefully they will be more inclined to come in quicker, they've got to be hungry on that surely.

 

Hi Davy,

I am in Kent

[Guest mick bowler]

Birds have to be taught from day 1. My Ybs first times out is not to see the area but to learn how to trap. Usually by the 3rd time they are out they will trap like bullets. As most say they should be familiar with a sound that is used at feeding times, not just when they are weaned but will they are being fed by the parents.

 

Its the same as landing on the house roofs, soon as they hit the house call them in, even if they only flown a few minutes, they soon learn not to do it. Mine are never allowed to sit out when flying, its either in the air or in the loft. Feed plays a big part, but a YB should never be starved, not for a prolonged period anyway.

 

Its easy to get birds into bad habits but a lot harder to get them to break them!

[JohnQuinn]

john you should know you don't throw anything at them you'll never get them down especially on race day they'' be to scared the guy should do it old school and give them what they want until a couple go for a drink and lift the grub,it's not done me any harm and i don't have any problems getting them in .fG C\

 

On the contrary, they learn that landing on the loft is a sure way NOT to get harassed, been chasing them off roofs since i've been old enough to throw that high, believe me if your doo comes with mine on Saturday, you're 2nd, every time!!

[bluecock]

On the contrary, they learn that landing on the loft is a sure way NOT to get harassed, been chasing them off roofs since i've been old enough to throw that high, believe me if your doo comes with mine on Saturday, you're 2nd, every time!!

 

i'll be looking for your velocity on saturday mate,all i'm saying is any time i've thrown anything to chase them of the roof has never benefited me come saturday,i know sometimes you feel like necking them when they don't come in but patience is the name of the game.cheers

[Guest Davy Fleming]

When youngsters sit on the roof and pick about then won't come in for there daily feed as if they don't care you can bet there is something far wrong with them.

[Taylorsloft]

Hi all,

For the last week or so I have been having problems with my youngsters not coming in.

I only let them out once of a day usually around 5pm after work, they fly for half hour and then spend best part of an hour picking at the house roof.

I've scalled their feed back and for the last 3 nights they have only had 1/2oz per bird and I have cut out their small morning feed, they are clearly hungry when I let them out

Last couple of days I have also had them out training during the day and they are all coming ok but still they sit on the roof, beat me back from 8mile drop today but are still sitting on the house roof 45min later.

They get minerals, grit, pick blocks and not over crowded or have problems with cats that I am aware of. Our Jack Russel is out the back all day so certainly no cat problems during the daylight hours.

Any ideas as to what I am doing wrong would be much appreciated.... I dont think my wife can put up with me moaning on about it much longer lol

 

 

my young birds were sitting out a week ago they were holding corn give them fennel tea/ all is back to normal trapping like bullets

[Guest BRYANBROCK]

On the contrary, they learn that landing on the loft is a sure way NOT to get harassed, been chasing them off roofs since i've been old enough to throw that high, believe me if your doo comes with mine on Saturday, you're 2nd, every time!!

 

 

i will take that bet

[nogin]

When youngsters sit on the roof and pick about then won't come in for there daily feed as if they don't care you can bet there is something far wrong with them.

 

 

THATS THE FIRST BIT OF SENSE ON THIS POST.

[Guest BRYANBROCK]

THATS THE FIRST BIT OF SENSE ON THIS POST.

 

finally someone with whom i agree

[BLUERON]

i got them down to no food for few days and now feed them only at nite and i have them comeing back from15mile right on to loft.is very hard to get right but great when you do.as they drop right in.

[Guest mick bowler]

You could ask 100 fanciers and you could get 100 different replies regarding how you look and treat your youngbirds, and how to get them to do this or that better.

 

I treat mine the way i do, yet i have known fanciers let theirs sit on the roofs all week, but come race day they trap like bullets going no where near the roofs. I also know my late father in law allowed his birds to pick on the roofs, including the moss, and there was not much wrong with his birds, he won many races every year in a very strong club. I have rarely starved a YB in my life, and i can count the number of heavy losses i have had over the years on one hand.

 

At the end of the day you do what works for you, if it does not work then change it, until it does suit and dont change it just because someone sasy this or that. Always take the advice given as just that, "advice", its not compulsory, and it not might it be correct for you!