I have a trained holming walker

[Jiggs]

With still only my flock of one!


He is now 5 weeks old but still does not want to really fly. He is trap trained and will jump in when I whistle as chow time. As I am so eager to train him about 3 times a day i will put him in different places in my yard, even around corners.

And guess what, you got it. He walks back to the loft climbs/flaps his way up the mesh to the landing board sits in the sun till I whistle and he will trap for food.

I am hoping that any day now he will take a spin in the air, it should not be too far off.

Are there any races for walkers with prize money as I am sure I will win!

[John_D]

Guess when you do get him homed, he'll be flying in from a couple hundred miles, then dropping into the yard and walking up to the loft

John

[Skyeking]

Hello,


Do you see him at all try to fly from perch to floor when he is inside the coop at all? Does he have other babies his age to fly with? They do learn and play together. I'm sure you checked his wings out and all that.

Do you think that he may be a little young yet? My birds will fly about inside, but don't show any interest until at least 6 weeks of age outside, and even then they do hesitate a few days and walk around outside the coop(the first two days they go out), but that is part of the learning process too.

He may just need a week or more just to feel secure.

Treesa

[Jiggs]

Yes I agree he is a little young. I am really hoping that he will take off next week.

His wings are fine I asked someone to check for me he also agreed he is a little young yet. He does not seem interested in perching he will hop down in the morning to the floor but not back up again. In the afternoon I lift him up to mom and dad so he can get some chow from them before bed time.
he started flapping his wings today so all seems to be going well.

He unfortuanatly does not have a buddy as his brother/sister died at about 1 week. The others are breeders but not doing much breeding at the moment.

[Skyeking]

Hi Again,

This baby will be just fine, as you have already trap trained him. But I wouldn't let him walk around outside until he is capable of flying well in the confines of his coop. Once you see him get good at flying in the loft then he can venture outside.

In the slight chance (happens here a lot) that a hawk should come around,he wouldn't be able to get inside quick enough without the skills he still needs to learn. His chances wouldn't be very good, especially by himself. Perhaps you should get a few babies for him to fly with, they are safer in numbers, and they learn quicker together. Perhaps you can get a few from a racing club, at leat 5 more.

Give him more time to get around well, it is well worth the wait.

Treesa

[Jiggs]

Thanks for the advice. We do not have any pigeon predators here except the local cats. And I walk with him around the yard as I we both enjoy the sunshine when he basks on the landing board and things are looking up ask he took a short trip up to a tree yesterday afternoon and back so all going as I have read up here.

I wish I could get young chicks but here they are like gold - the breeders are willing to give you old cocks and hens like I have which have given me one chick.

Thats my flock of one - I think i will call him number 1

[Skyeking]

Glad to hear you are enjoying this youngster and that he is gaining his flying skills.Keep a watchful eye on him.

We never used to have any hawks around here either, but they make regular stops here now that they know we have pigeons.

We have had them swoop down from the sky without a warning, you could hear the sound of the wind, as he went over our heads. Amazing, the birds were still inside.

Treesa

[Jiggs]

Things are marching along smartly! Number 1 seems to have a curiosity now about the outside world and his folks have started building again so hopefully he will have a few mates soon.

The others have not even started building even after all these months I have read up on breeding and it seems that I am doing everything right as per the pages here but no luck yet. They have paired up and nuzzle each other all the time but no luck yet except for Piet and Cocky!

Well at least there are ups to the downs

Spring will be here in a few months so may there be a lot more jumping bones to the talking