learning to fly out!

[samantha]

Hi this is my first post, I bought my pair of west of England tumblers a few months ago (I have never had any pigeons before) they are about 3yrs old and have never flown out, they layed only one egg and I took the baby out onto the garden and put him on the landing board to show him how to get home, I now let him out everyday no matter how far I go he flies straight back to the shed roof and within 30 mins goes back in! The second set of eggs had a beautiful yellow, and a tiny runt who didnt make it, Im teaching the yellow about getting home, Im hoping that as a pair they will encourage each other to fly. Am I going about this the right way? will I loose the parents if I ever let them out? (remember I am new to this and you may have to explain any pigeon terminology) thank you for anyone who can help.

[Guest shadow]

Keep the traing going and all will be ok as for the parents  let them go down on eggs again and after 4 or 5 days let them  out in the  early evening which will stop them straying.  All so make sure they have not been fed the day you let them out.

[samantha]

thank you shadow, that was quick, they are sat on dummy eggs now probably under a week, should I let them out together or one at a time, will they be afraid to use the trap? very scary!!

[snowy]

hi, take shadows advice & when you let them out, make sure the other one is out too & let them out as late as possible just b4 it gets dark, half 7- 8 0 clock just throw a few grains on the floor outside & let them walk about then call them in by throwing seed inside the loft untill they go in, do this for a week or so & every time they will venture further, roof , fly round the house then just call them in, but i must stress, they must be hungry! as i lost a west hen once, (my fault, didnt keep her hungry enough) hope this helps.

[Guest shadow]

Yes I agree with snowy there is no reason for them to not settle just keep an eye on them while out so no cats panic them, start with a short time out and gradually increase the time out each day. Good luck.

[samantha]

I will have a go, not tonight unless is brightens up a bit, plus they have been fed! I will let them all out together, I dont think calling them will help as the adult birds want to get as far away from me as possible! but they know that I am feeding them because I shake it in a tin. thanks guys I will let you know how I get on.

[samantha]

Ive let them out bout 7.30pm, hungry, now its going dark Ive shook the food tin! and they are no where to be seen.......oh dear! would they fend for themselves if they never come back?

[snowy]

sorry to hear that, but they might be back in the morning, its happened to me recently, 2 days it went missing, then turned up .... let me know how it goes.

[samantha]

YES YES YES my hen is back, I cant believe it, Ive just gone outside and she was on the landing board (shes never used the trap) so I steped back and she flew on to the roof of my house so I ran to the loft to shake the food and she was flying down behind me and as I opened to door she flew in over my head, I am soooo pleased

 

thank you for all your advice guys, I hope the cock comes back too

[snowy]

great news! he might come back too! keep a look out.

glad for you

[Peckedhen]

Are you able to put her out on the loft roof?  You could use an upturned laundry basket if you've nothing else. She may encourage him back. Good luck.

 

Peckedhen

[samantha]

hi Rose, do you mean that if the bird is soaked it cant fly away??

 

also If I get new bird what sort of age should they be so that I dont have this problem again.

 

Henpecked I could give it a go but my loft is under the canopy of a 200 year old copper beach and sycamore he would only see her if he was on the garden anyway, I havent seen anything of him since I let him out mon night!

 

thanks guys

[Guest shadow]

Now that you have the hen out keep it going let them all out together late evening and hungry  and you might find that they will pick up the cock if he is still in the area.  Good Luck.

[jimmy white]

i should imagine  that as the hen came back, the cock will be somewhere in the area, looking for his home and mate if so, and he gets a glimpse of the hen ,hell be back,   keep your eye outfor the cock ,if you see it , put the hen out if its any consolation ive seen them comming back3 to 4 days later, good luck to you any way jimmy

[samantha]

I bought my first 2 birds from a guy who shows them they were adult birds, he had never let any of his birds out and told me I would probably loose them if I ever let them out.

 

I think if you have wings its a crying shame not to fly! and I was willing to take the chance,I did loose one, through my own impatience and inexperience, after he didnt come back, snowy offered me the best bit of advice yet, he said sounds like you are over feeding! I was, big style, since then they have been like different birds, they actually seem pleased to see me! they are like putty in my hands, I am letting them all out and then putting food in the loft and they come in straight away, even my remaining adult is useing the trap now!

 

However yesterday I got a bit confident, as I wanted them to have a little longer out, so I put them out not quite as hungry, and they all flew off!!!! after 2 hours I was beside myself with worry, but I had an appointment so I had to go out, I got in at about 5 oclock and raced to the loft to find them all sleeping after a big day out!!

;D ;D ;D

 

thank you for all your help I am over the moon  with the progress I have made this last week ;D

[Guest]

thats the only way they will come in properley (meaning that they will come in but not when you want them to and that is very very bad when your losing valuble minuites on a race day). you have to fly them hungry and if one bird or two e.t.c, dosn't come in when there supposed to,dont feed ithem the particular night they came in late and when you let them out the next day that bird that came in late the night before will most likely be one of the first ones in.

[samantha]

Carter bearing in mind that I am not trying to train my fancy pigeons to race, how do you suggest I go about it from here, I am letting them out everyday late afternoon, they 9 times out of 10 spend 10 mins on the loft roof then as soon as I shake the food tin come back in, or if I dont shake it soon enough, just come in anyway.

 

Should I be releasing them away from home or forcing them up off the roof to fly?

 

thanks

[Guest shadow]

Samantha as your pigeons are just for a hobby it sounds as though  you  have got them coming in OK. If they start getting out of hand just shorten their feed . It does not matter how long they fly. Even my pigeon exercise  better in the  morning than they do in the afternoon if its hot. Good luck with your bids.

fly hard fly fair

[samantha]

Hi everyone I havent been on for a while, been really busy, but I was just sat catching up on some of the posts when I just now just looked out the window and saw my  west of england cock that I lost when I first started this post!!!!!!!! in the tree with a wild garden fantail!!!! I cant believe it, I havent seen him since, thought he must have been killed, but hes been out with his new bird!

 

its good to know he is ok after all this time, its quite made me day ;D

[mealybar]

Contrats Might be a good idea to get the lottery on today :)

[wynmore]

I've had my birds shut in the loft for a month now. I'm a bit wary of letting them out because I've lost about half a dozen birds in the past 5 months. I kept them in a dovecote initially but I don't think they tookvery kindly to that. The four birds I've salvaged are a mated pair and their 2 youngsters which were bred in the dovecote.

I feel that a loft is a far better arrangement because I now have more control over their feeding etc. I have learnt the lesson (the hard way) that it's better to keep them hungry if you want them feeding out of your hand, in more ways than one. I still feel that they have the right to be released at some time otherwise you are keeping caged birds which was not what I had in mind when I took up this hobby in April. So I shall release them fairly soon, in the afternoon I thought before they've been fed and keep my fingers crossed.

[wynmore]

I've had my birds shut in the loft for a month now. I'm a bit wary of letting them out because I've lost about half a dozen birds in the past 5 months. I kept them in a dovecote initially but I don't think they tookvery kindly to that. The four birds I've salvaged are a mated pair and their 2 youngsters which were bred in the dovecote.

I feel that a loft is a far better arrangement because I now have more control over their feeding etc. I have learnt the lesson (the hard way) that it's better to keep them hungry if you want them feeding out of your hand, in more ways than one. I still feel that they have the right to be released at some time otherwise you are keeping caged birds which was not what I had in mind when I took up this hobby in April. So I shall release them fairly soon, in the afternoon I thought before they've been fed and keep my fingers crossed.  Just thought of something else..... if this avian flu comes our way we may have to keep the birds couped up all the time.

[Peckedhen]

Hi Wynmore, ;D

 

If you read the Avian Flu thread you'll see that a lot of fanciers are recommending keeping the birds in.  Good to see you posting.

 

Peckedhen

[snowy]

congrats sam, try & coax him in, he might come back in if he sees the others,

good luck,  

[samantha]

no chance! i avent seen him since, he had a new bird with him, he wont be back!