[JaxRacingLofts]

I have a bit of a situation with my ybs being strong on the wing.

(Kind of a long read but only way I know to describe the situation)

I did not feed my team their usual 2 cups of feed last Friday, I cut it in half to one cup of feed.

Saturday, I removed their drinker in the morning and gave them a bath (permithrin dip w/ dish washing liquid) and let them sun on the landing board all day.

Around 5:30 pm Saturday evening, I opened the loft to let them decide if they wanted to fly or just walk around the yard, half of my ybs took off one right after the other to the air. It was a cool sight watching them zig zag and cut through the trees.

Around 8:30 pm I blew the feed whistle and like a hungry kids chasing an ice cream truck they came landing and trapping back in.
I did not do a full head count but I seemed to be close to 10 birds shy.

Monday, I did not do any tricks I just opened the loft door in the morning and let the birds choose to fly or not. Only 12 stayed behind and the rest spent some time on the wing.

Monday, evening I started the feed call around 6pm and this time they just did "fly overs" the house and loft...they finally came down around 9 pm. That was aggravating cause I now have a Owl that lurks around the trees in my neighbors yard.

Yesterday, I had 5 more return after work..3 trapped in to the feed call and the other knuckleheads I had to catch with a net. Today, I thought I had them all and I saw 3 more shooting in and out through the trees and doing fly overs...I just continued blowing the whistle feed call (I know it had to drive my neighbors crazy) finally,I ending up having to net catch all 3.

Hopefully, this will be a simple question...the birds I had to net catch where easily 48 hrs without food or water and where still "playing" in the air.

With all this said.. Where did I go wrong here? I always talk to them (helps keep them calm) and (I treat them with hand feed raw spanish peanuts) I always use the feed whistle when I feed them ..if you blow the whistle those birds will climb over each other with their their faces pressed to the side of the loft aviary..They know it means chow time.

So how should I train these stubborn Yb's that won't trap? They obviously have decided they have no problem sleeping in the trees. I should add I caught them by whistling and they flew over to me one at a time. I almost caught a yb in mid air hovering over my head..they are tame sweet birds just more brawn then brains. Any suggestions that you know to correct these behaviors?

 

[blongboy]

nice story ..wow your birds listen you your feeding calls ..lol mine just look at me ..even when i dont feed them at all the whole day

 

[JaxRacingLofts]

nice story ..wow your birds listen you your feeding calls ..lol mine just look at me ..even when i dont feed them at all the whole day

lol I was standing at my back door and one was on top of the aviary and I just whistle and the bird flew straight to me like it was going to land on my head. That was kinda cool...pigeon flying straight to my face in 3-D

oh I followed John Glemsers advice and whistle whenever they get fresh water or fresh grit or food...they know the whistle means something for them..it really works intill you get birds that don't want eat or drink and just want to fly

 

[bloodlines_365]

i haved those type of birds this year slow learner, just like humans! its needs more repeatation.... but they will learned the tricks soon!

 

[hillfamilyloft]

The only thing I would add is until they get flying together and circling well, I would fly them later in the evening hungry. Get them flying well and trapping well in the evening and then move them to twice a day. The old timers in the club say the stronger your young birds are on the wing the more you need to fly on hot days in the evening to get them used to making a few laps and then trapping well. Another trick I use is to only feed the first trappers. After a few times with the late trappers missing a meal they will become your fast trappers. If you don't feed your late trappers they will stop existing. Let them know who is in charge. Feeding a bird that sat your roof for two hours looking at you is giving in to him. Call them in leave the feed for 10 minutes and then pull it. All the late comers get is water. They will figure it out, and your neighbors will like you better.
P.S did you get any young birds off the two hens from the auction?

 

[Matt Bell]

I would also add that you need to get them out earlier in life, how old are these birds?

 

[First To Hatch]

I had some older young birds I needed to settle, what I did was I had them out in an all-wire cage everyday for an hour or two in front of the loft, that gives them a 360 degree view. Then the first time I let them out it was on a RAINY MORNING that way they can't fly and just walk around....make sure its actually raining not just sprinkles and not windy either....it worked for me and I was surprised.

 

[JaxRacingLofts]

The only thing I would add is until they get flying together and circling well, I would fly them later in the evening hungry. Get them flying well and trapping well in the evening and then move them to twice a day. The old timers in the club say the stronger your young birds are on the wing the more you need to fly on hot days in the evening to get them used to making a few laps and then trapping well. Another trick I use is to only feed the first trappers. After a few times with the late trappers missing a meal they will become your fast trappers. If you don't feed your late trappers they will stop existing. Let them know who is in charge. Feeding a bird that sat your roof for two hours looking at you is giving in to him. Call them in leave the feed for 10 minutes and then pull it. All the late comers get is water. They will figure it out, and your neighbors will like you better.
P.S did you get any young birds off the two hens from the auction?

Thank you..I will follow your suggestion and stop spoiling these ybs. I did a lock down last Sunday none in or out...and my mentor suggested to release them again and see how many they bring back to the loft. Thats what I did on Monday.

As for the auction birds I really liked all of them... so I offered my mentor one to breed from and in turn he loaned me his pedigreed Staff Van Reet from Jay Holder.
My hen is paired up to a Dixie Cup Futurity auction cock. I believe they said he is a Hoaban/Janssen cross. The pair are almost done raising their last round of squeakers and the ybs will be removed from the nest box next week.

I would also add that you need to get them out earlier in life, how old are these birds?

Your right. Almost all of them are my January hatches. I was waiting to finish breeding to start training but these ybs are starting to pair up now. I may have to separate them.

I had some older young birds I needed to settle, what I did was I had them out in an all-wire cage everyday for an hour or two in front of the loft, that gives them a 360 degree view. Then the first time I let them out it was on a RAINY MORNING that way they can't fly and just walk around....make sure its actually raining not just sprinkles and not windy either....it worked for me and I was surprised.

I saw a video on you tube from Dr. John Lamberton that has a similar technique of soaking their wings and letting them out to keep them from flying off too far. Saturday I'm going to try this again. (this time make sure their wings are soaked before I release them)

 

[First To Hatch]

I wouldn't soap their wings....I have heard terrible things of how predators caught them so easily (cat, neighbors dog) atleast when its raining they CAN FLY they just don't want to, so in the rain if they have to get away they will.

 

[Crazy Pete]

One thing to remember if you soap thier wings, if they are out so are you or just as soon as you go in the cat has them.
Dave