Training White Homers

[ptras]

Okay...so now I'm at the point that I need some advice (not that I haven't needed it all along!) I have fourteen young white homers that have been in my loft for three weeks tomorrow. I have been trap-training them since day three, and they seem to have a pretty good grasp of it. Every evening when I go to the loft to feed the birds, those fourteen birds immediately head out into the aviary (I used to have to shoo them out to the aviary before feeding). I close the trap, put down the food tray, and whistle. When I first started, it would take them five or so minutes to figure out that the food was on the other side of the bobs, and go through the trap. Now, when I whistle, all fourteen of them are in the loft and eating in less than thirty seconds.

Tomorrow, I will be removing the training cage from the landing board for the first time, and will just let them hang out there for an hour before feeding time. I figure that some or all of them will end up on the roof of the loft. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that they don't decide to exercise their freedom and take off to parts unknown. I figure after a few days of this, I can flag them up to loft-fly. This is the part where I need assistance.

I'm hoping that all of them will come back after loft-flying. I have read on here that road training shouldn't begin until the birds are "routing". What is meant by routing, and how long should I loft-fly them prior to starting with short training tosses?

[Crazy Pete]

Routing is when the bird go and explor and are gone for 30 min and some times for well over an hr. There is no set time to start road training. I don't start till the youngest bird drop a couple of its secondairy flights.
Dave

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by ptras

Okay...so now I'm at the point that I need some advice (not that I haven't needed it all along!) I have fourteen young white homers that have been in my loft for three weeks tomorrow. I have been trap-training them since day three, and they seem to have a pretty good grasp of it. Every evening when I go to the loft to feed the birds, those fourteen birds immediately head out into the aviary (I used to have to shoo them out to the aviary before feeding). I close the trap, put down the food tray, and whistle. When I first started, it would take them five or so minutes to figure out that the food was on the other side of the bobs, and go through the trap. Now, when I whistle, all fourteen of them are in the loft and eating in less than thirty seconds.

Tomorrow, I will be removing the training cage from the landing board for the first time, and will just let them hang out there for an hour before feeding time. I figure that some or all of them will end up on the roof of the loft. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that they don't decide to exercise their freedom and take off to parts unknown. I figure after a few days of this, I can flag them up to loft-fly. This is the part where I need assistance.

I'm hoping that all of them will come back after loft-flying. I have read on here that road training shouldn't begin until the birds are "routing". What is meant by routing, and how long should I loft-fly them prior to starting with short training tosses?

sounds like your doing everything right.. it is a good idea to let these out late in the afternoon..with their age..they may be strong on the wing and fly too far off.. you will just have to wait and see.. your going to love flying homers.

[ptras]

Originally Posted by spirit wings

sounds like your doing everything right.. it is a good idea to let these out late in the afternoon..with their age..they may be strong on the wing and fly too far off.. you will just have to wait and see.. your going to love flying homers.

My kids can't wait. My ten-year-old son already has all the training tosses figured out. He says "Daddy, first we'll release them from the back yard where they can see the loft. Then we'll release them from the street in front of the house. Then we'll release them from Spring street (about 1/2 mile up the road.) Then, once they know their way home, we can release them from my school (about 1.5 miles), and then from the center of town (about three miles), and then we can release them from Uncle Philip's house (about ten miles).

I'm thinking that once they are trained some, I can load them in the crate in the morning and take them to work with me. I can release them from the parking lot at work, and it is about thirty miles direct to my house.

Of course...all this is if they don't just fly away the first time I let them out!

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by ptras

My kids can't wait. My ten-year-old son already has all the training tosses figured out. He says "Daddy, first we'll release them from the back yard where they can see the loft. Then we'll release them from the street in front of the house. Then we'll release them from Spring street (about 1/2 mile up the road.) Then, once they know their way home, we can release them from my school (about 1.5 miles), and then from the center of town (about three miles), and then we can release them from Uncle Philip's house (about ten miles).

I'm thinking that once they are trained some, I can load them in the crate in the morning and take them to work with me. I can release them from the parking lot at work, and it is about thirty miles direct to my house.

Of course...all this is if they don't just fly away the first time I let them out!

I think if you keep the first few weeks of letting out at late afternoon they will get used to flying back in and not going too far.. then when they are flying well together..you can let them out at any time.. when they are flying well as a flock.. in a few months..then take them down the road.. it would be cool for your son to sit and watch them come in and report back to you..

[sky tx]

Your son has a very good plan.
Just be sure they are hungry when you toss them.
Also that close to the loft-they may not go "straight' to the loft-they may route before trapping.

[ptras]

Originally Posted by sky tx

Your son has a very good plan.
Just be sure they are hungry when you toss them.
Also that close to the loft-they may not go "straight' to the loft-they may route before trapping.

Thanks. Good to know that, as I would have probably been worried if I released them within sight of the loft and they took off in a different direction!

I learned about flying birds hungry with my rollers. Right now, these homers get fed once a day in the evening. I figure that I'll let them out the first few times about an hour before normal feeding time.

Edit: Of course, all of this depends upon the weather. We've had rain every day for the past eight days!

[ptras]

In addition to the fourteen young birds, I have a squeaker that is now five weeks old. I haven't moved him in with the other whites yet as his foster dad is still feeding him. Since he isn't with them, he hasn't been trap trained, and he hasn't been out in the aviary and the landing board yet. When I'm ready to move him in with the rest, what type of transition does he need? Can I just put him in with the (hopefully) already flying birds and let him learn from them?

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by ptras

In addition to the fourteen young birds, I have a squeaker that is now five weeks old. I haven't moved him in with the other whites yet as his foster dad is still feeding him. Since he isn't with them, he hasn't been trap trained, and he hasn't been out in the aviary and the landing board yet. When I'm ready to move him in with the rest, what type of transition does he need? Can I just put him in with the (hopefully) already flying birds and let him learn from them?

That is pretty much what I do.. except I have a seprate space for the young ones and put them in there for about a week. then open up the whole loft for them to be in with everyone else. I stopped trap training my young because they did as you said..they just learned from the others.. usually they do not go out at first..but as they age they venture out and start flying a bit..and then another few weeks it is like they are part of the older flock ..it does not take them long.

[ptras]

Originally Posted by spirit wings

That is pretty much what I do.. except I have a separate space for the young ones and put them in there for about a week. then open up the whole loft for them to be in with everyone else. I stopped trap training my young because they did as you said..they just learned from the others.. usually they do not go out at first..but as they age they venture out and start flying a bit..and then another few weeks it is like they are part of the older flock ..it does not take them long.

That's good to know. S/he is currently in a pen in my loft that is adjacent to the flier's pen. They all watch each other through the screen. I expect s/he will go in with the fliers in about two weeks. Hopefully by then they will be loft flying daily.

[Crazy Pete]

Your youngest bird is 5 weeks old move it today They should be on thier own by 30 days.
Dave

[spirit wings]

with these white homers there is no need to pressure them like race birds..I let mine stay in the box for longer than race birds do.. usually when they are out of the box and eating out of the feeder like everyone else...then I move them.

[cubanlofts]

I have white ones as well, something elsoe i do is releasing the young birds when the sun is going down, late tour the evening when theyhave like an hour of sun left, them call and feed, them gradually I will release them earlier and earlier, unitl normal time

[re lee]

If you have no hawk problems now You can sart them anytime of the day. . And the 5 week old bird Well thats prime training age. Trap train it and it is safer to settle. As it is not as wing strong You others are getting old enough to fly out and get lost. They need loft trained NOW. White birds can be trained just like race birds. Except some do not have a good homing instinct. But selection as time goes by you can improve that agin.. Good luck and get out of the loft befor they get much stronger.

[RodSD]

You should do fine. The most important is that they don't get startled at all!

By observation you know if you will become successful because the birds will not just take off right away. They will be hesitant first, then perhaps flutter to some higher area or even on the ground. Some adventurous ones will fly making circles and hopefully lands.

Those that suddenly take off, fly in circle and go off somewhere are those that can get lost. Or if theres is a hawk that startles them or chase them, then some might get lost.

Good luck! Your son's plan should work out. That seems to be easy training for homers.