Flying my birds

[ZigZagMarquis]

Okay... so, I'm going to have some pigeons here soon. I'd like to try to fly them eventually. Here's my plan, such as it is.

1) Let them settle into their new loft first, I figure 4 or 5 days.

2) Start trap training them. Put them out on the closed up landing board. Leave them there for awhile. Then go feed them. Wistle or shake a can with a few screws in it, basically make some sort of noise every time I feed them. I figure I'll work them through the trap for at least 2 to 3 weeks.

3) After that... short rations one day... next day, start out with the same routine, but let the landing board / trap area open to let them "discover" then can get out. Let them fly for an hour to two and then "ring the dinner bell" or what ever it is I work up as a signal its feeding time. See if they come back...

I think that's basically it, but are there any other big "Do's" and "Don'ts"?

I know the first time you let them free you shouldn't scare them out. I'm only planning on starting with a small number of birds and am afraid they'll latch onto the local feral flock that resides about 2 blocks away that I see fly in the morning too.

Some say to fly in the morning, some say in the evening. Thoughts on that? I know its more likely to be windy in the evenings and that's bad for them the first times out and I don't want them to get spooked that night is coming and have them roost outside the loft overnight.

[re lee]

Well fisrt young birds strong in the wing will fly further out. I would if you are set up go ahead and put then in the cage leave the trap where they can learn to trap in The day after you get them. And that way they can both get used to the loft and see the sky and learn to trap as soon as possible. Do this say for a week then you might try to let them sit the board with no cage. Do not spook them or jump them up for the first week to ten days. The will take off on small loops on there own. And if they are wing strong you could lose them by jumping them up. After they get stronger in the wing. They will start flocking and then fly longer. Allways fly them hungry to control the trapping . A whistle shaking the feed can. can call them in. After they train to it. When they are flying they may get with or the ferals may get with them But homers come home. and ferals may even trap in your loft with them . Just let them back out. Birds older then 8 weeks Are stronger in the wing. So you might let say half out one day. Then the next the next day. So you help insure You do not get a fly away. If all goes well They will settle just fine. Other people will have there methods. So you should get some good ideas. Do not be in a hurry to train them down the road