Training Older Youngsters

[WhiteWingsCa]

This is for Mickeyblue and anyone else who might be interested.... (btw...Mickeyblue, my email went kaploohey last weekend, so if you've been trying to reach me, I haven't been getting any emails...sorry)

Note: this is in regards to homers.

In our experience, the best time to obtain youngsters to train to your loft is when they are around 4-5 weeks of age. By keeping them inside the loft for about a week...but letting them out into an aviary....you can be reasonably certain that when you first let them outside, they will only take short flights, and will stay around your loft.

We prefer to let the birds out early in the day the first time. That way, if they do wander off, they have the whole day to try and find their way back....less chance of being caught out overnight, and falling prey to a cat, racoon, or owl.

Always let your birds out a bit hungry the first few times. Even if they are only out for 5-10 minutes that first time, they have learned a little bit about their surroundings. Each time they are let out, they learn more.

If you do not have an outdoor aviary, you can also get a large cage...like the big dog cages, or a rabbit cage. Put the birds in the cage and set it out a few feet from the loft...as long as they have some shade, they can stay there all day. (with food and water). Do this for the week....that way, they get a really good look around the yard.

NOW. Suppose you have some older birds? What to do? Often these older birds are "strong on the wing", and the first time out, take off flying, and, not knowing the "neighbourhood", end up far from home, and lost.

We have successfully "broken" older youngsters to our loft. Not 100% success rate, but we have done it.

Older youngsters are treated the same way as the 4-5 week olds would have been. BUT. Before you first let them out....

Take ONE wing. Hold the outer 4-5 "flight" feathers together...fold them the way they would naturally fold when the bird has it's wing closed. (btw..two people makes this LOTS easier). Now, take either a small elastic band, or, what we prefer...drafting tape (drafting tape looks like masking tape. However, it isn't as sticky...it will stick to itself, but not the feathers). Bind the 4-5 feathers together firmly, but not too tight (try not to damage the feathers...this is why we prefer the tape). Let the bird go in the loft, and make sure the tape or elastic is going to stay in place.

The bird is now "hobbled". It can still fly, but with more difficulty. In fact, it will take short, bumpy flights, the same as younger birds do when they are first let out. With luck, the bird will only fly from landing board to roof, and maybe one or two turns around the yard. It looks like it is going to crash into things...but it won't. And, younger birds do this all the time (every year, those first couple of baby flights are heart stoppers....)

Leave the hobble on for about 5-7 days. If you are using tape, DO NOT let the birds take a bath during this time...the tape will fall off. The idea of the hobble is to keep the birds from flying too far until it gets a better idea of where "home" is, and the shape/lie of the land around it.

If you have several "older" babies, let them out one at a time. That way, if one is strong enough to take off, at least it will do so by itself...not with the rest of them.

If you can, "trap train" your birds before you ever let them out. This consists of having a cage over the trap. Put the birds in the cage, and leave them there. The only way they can get back into the loft is through the trap. Do this 3-4 times before ever letting them out, and you will find that it is a lot less likely that you end up with a bird let outside overnight, because it can't find the "door".

Some aviaries have a small door from the loft to the aviary, then the traps next to the door (one of ours does). This type is easiest...you chase all the birds into the aviary, then close the door.

If your traps are separate from your aviary, you can easily build a "settling cage" to fit onto the landing board, to trap train. A settling cage is a wire cage or cover that sits on the landing board, open on the trap side. The birds can go inside through the trap only. Once they seem to have the idea, and are starting to be let outside, you can lift the settling cage off the landing board and store it away till next year...

Mickyblue....I asked our racing club member about "breaking" his birds. He said it took a while....he had adult birds. His "old" loft was about 8 miles from his new one...I think he spent some time going to the "old" place, and chasing the birds into the air. He doesn't like to try and teach older youngsters, so didn't have any advice for me.

Good luck with your youngsters! Make sure you write down their band numbers before you let them out....and if any of them disappear, let their first owner know to watch out for them!

[Psion]

Good points WhiteWingsCa, I have used these methods too since all of my birds have been a few months old when I've got them. Letting one fly at a time is the best way to do it until they are coming back good. Actually I've found that if you only let one out it'll only fly to the roof of the loft or the roof of your house and back. I have used the elastic method as well but the birds weren't real big on it. The major thing though is KEEP THEM HUNGRY.
The other day I happened to feed mine a little too much the day before I let them fly and I spent the day tryting to get my one cock bird to come down. He sat on the roof of the house out of reach, just sleeping and watching me. I let him out at 10:30 in the morning and didn't get him to come down till 3pm. Don't neccessarily starve them, but make sure they're hungry.

Again, nice work WWC,
Nick

[mickeyblue]

ok i got it ....so after i got the tape on the wing i can let them out? when i let them out how do i get them back in to the loft?
i sorry i just dont want to lose any

[bigbird]

Thanks for the information WhiteWing.
Regards,
Carl

[WhiteWingsCa]

When you first let them out:

DO NOT feed them the night before. (I'm talking remove the tray from the loft) Let them out in the morning. (You have hopefully been whistling everytime you feed them? And shaking the feed can?) Let the bird (remember, one at a time) out, let it look around a bit, maybe fly around the yard if it wants to. Then, whistle, shake the feed can, and it will (hopefully) come back in. Feed it IMMEDIATELY. You want the birds to KNOW that as soon as they come back inside, it's chow time.

DO NOT rush your birds. Make sure they've been out in a cage or aviary a few times, for at least a week, before ever letting one out.

[Psion]

Actually I just broke an adult about a half an hour ago, by accident though. She (he?) slipped out when the youngsters went flying. When she found them she stayed right with them and came back with the others when called. I haven't even had her for a week. So now all 4 of my birds are flying, woo hoo!!!

Rollers Rule!!!!!
Nick

[WhiteWingsCa]

Nick, homers are a lot different from rollers when it comes to "breaking". Rollers are much easier to break, from what I've heard.

Homers can find their way back to their "old" lofts even YEARS later...I know someone who had a bird return after 7 years. We let out a bird that we'd bought in 1996 ONCE in 2000. He went straight back to his old home....fortunately, the guy remembered who he'd sold him to, and called us to come get him.

[Psion]

I know they are a lot different but they are also similar. A roller can take off as well as a homer can, and I've experienced this the hard way. It was just a young one and it took off. I think every bird is different, and some learn differently than others. Oh well, just my 2 cents...

Nick

[TAWhatley]

Bumping up for kid.

Terry Whatley