steve49
41 posts
Jul 09, 2009
5:15 PM
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Just checking how you guys prefer to release for the first time your kit of youngsters. all together, two or three at a time, or whatever way works?
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Steve in Blue Point, NY
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TheGame
560 posts
Jul 09, 2009
5:27 PM
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If they have been trapping through the day screen and respond to the whistle/feed can I say....Let them all out!! Dont force or scare them to fly simply open the door and let them go out on their own.
I think the birds will do better and feel more comfortable in a larger group then a few at a time.
Remember outta the 20 birds you got not all may make it. You will end up with some culls. They will affect your whole kit and teach them bad habits.
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Electric-man
2396 posts
Jul 09, 2009
5:28 PM
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I would let out 3-5 or 25% of them at a time. Theres less confusion in the air and it is easier to keep an eye on them. Make sure their hungry! You don't want a lot of wind either, they will catch air and get to far to find their way back!
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Val
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JDA
GOLD MEMBER
333 posts
Jul 09, 2009
5:29 PM
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Are they all going in the traps and going to the feed in the wire cage? If not that has to be first training before you let them on the top of there box. After they are doing that you can put them all up on there cage at the same time and shake the feed can and they should be hitting the traps. don,t flag them but make sure they are hungry.JDA
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TT
GOLD MEMBER
441 posts
Jul 09, 2009
5:30 PM
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Just open the door and let them exit the box on there own. Do this for a few days, they will start to take to the wing on there own and hopefully in a week you can start flagging them, extending the time everyday till they get to the required time of flying you prefer or 45-hr/
You also might not want to feed the day before the first release, just so you can full control of them, works great if the young get spooked and get out of control.
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Tony...
"Color is not an option"
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1146 posts
Jul 09, 2009
5:55 PM
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Combine all of the above suggestions on their first time out, and like Val said hold some back and leave them in the settling cage for the others to see. DO NOT FLAG! After each small kit has been out and trapped let the next kit out. Each kit will make short hops around and back to the kit box this is how they learn. After a few days they will rise up on their own and go farther and farther out and back. Slowly combine all of these small kits into one big kit. Be patient and you won't loose any.
Thom
Last Edited by on Jul 09, 2009 5:56 PM
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Electric-man
2398 posts
Jul 09, 2009
6:18 PM
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If you have some older birds that you already have trained, I would have them on standby. In case you have some get up and start straying out, they might just help to bring them back in.
Don't let the older birds out unless you have to though. They might encourage the YBs to get up before they can handle it. Last week I did this and a couple tried to fly with them and they just gave out and dropped out after about 10 minutes. They landed on some other side of some trees down the street and couldn't see the house. One came back the next morning and one didn't.
Just tossing some thoughts out there, hope I'm not confusing you!
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Val
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TheGame
561 posts
Jul 09, 2009
6:33 PM
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Steve does not have any older birds that are homed from what I know.
Hey Steve you gonna let that single bird you picked up out?
Last Edited by on Jul 09, 2009 6:34 PM
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rookie from ct
60 posts
Jul 09, 2009
6:58 PM
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This is a very important stage of training as old fart said do not flag if they are the same age and are trap trained open the door and who wants to fly will watch for bad habbits,landing on houses,trees,ect.keep this up for days they will come into the fly Rookie from ct
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Bricksfall
26 posts
Jul 09, 2009
7:06 PM
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My reply is the same as TheGame on his first post. With the whistle, I also rattle some feed in a can. About a 1/4 ounce, every time. Just shake and whistle. Once they get it, they got it. For youngsters that is.
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GEORGE ALDANA
HIGH GRAVITY LOFT
Last Edited by on Jul 09, 2009 7:06 PM
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steve49
42 posts
Jul 10, 2009
5:21 PM
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thanx for the responses, guys. since i posted this AFTER i let 10 out, i already was feeling kinda blue, as only 5 out of 10 returned that day. however, 2 more did come back the following day, so i'm only missing 2. today (2nd day) i let all the birds out who had returned, and mixed in some of the 10 who didn't fly the first day. they all came back. they originally loafed around the kitbox roof and took a bath. then, all of a sudden one took off, and they all followed. at least this time most of the group had already flown and returned. i think i need to hold back more food, as some that returned later this afternoon, were ok with lounging on the kitbox even while i'm whistling and shaking the feed can! they did trap a while later, and they only got a little bit of food, as the others helped themselved to more of the late arrivals dinner.
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Steve in Blue Point, NY
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Velo99
2144 posts
Jul 11, 2009
5:59 AM
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Steve,
I have done several different things when releasing squeaks. The best success rate I have had is releasing 3-4 at a time. Another method is to put them (still not over 10 birds)in a crate on the ground 10-15 feet from the kitbox open it up and let them explore the area around the kitbox and view it from a different perspective. Sometimes they take off sometimes they dont. Either way it`s okay.
A smaller number is easier to track and easier to swallow if they do fly away. Another thing I had done early in the season is to train 4-5 and let them lead the others. This method has a very high success rate.
I have had only one flyaway out of 28 squeaks flying of far this season Pigeons are followers and very inquisitive.
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V99
blue sky single beat
in cadance performing now
earth beckons the winged
drawn breath is let quickly forth
orchestral movement follows
___ ~_____ __
\__\_/-|_| \__\____
/()_)__14___()_)\__\
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steve49
50 posts
Jul 11, 2009
5:31 PM
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you guys all gave excellent advice. i'm happy to say after 3 days, having flown twice today (sat)i've got 19 back out of the original 20. now i'm trying to feed a bit less so they land on my house/kitbox, and hurry and trap. i'm a little concerned with one neighbor whose house is 3 stories so the YB's like to land on his first, and then make their way to my roof/box. only 3 birds did this, but 2 of them did it more than once. keep in mind, they've only flown 3 times, so i'm trying to be patient, and control with feed, so they trap faster. 5 birds out 20 came back the first day by dusk, with 2 more the next day. and today (sat) one of the two missing birds returned. do you think it was just sitting on someone's roof for two days? they're all trapping nice, and that's all i can hope for, at this stage
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Steve in Blue Point, NY
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JDA
GOLD MEMBER
338 posts
Jul 11, 2009
9:31 PM
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steve49... What you need is a landing board. A good strong galvenised pipe that you can attach to your house from the ground some 20 feet in the air like the old TV antenna with wire leads with a 4foot by 4foot landing board on top.They will go to it for sure.JDA
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TheGame
571 posts
Jul 11, 2009
9:49 PM
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JDA do you think a landing rod is really needed?? Don't most people prefer their birds coming straight down to the kitbox?
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JDA
GOLD MEMBER
339 posts
Jul 11, 2009
10:24 PM
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games...If he worries with birds landing on his neighbors house, this should stop it.They land on there board first then drop to there roof.A (landing board).Don,t know, what is a landing rod???JDA
Last Edited by on Jul 11, 2009 10:32 PM
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TheGame
572 posts
Jul 11, 2009
11:06 PM
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oops JDA didn't read the whole 4x4 board part lol. I stopped at tv antenna and thought it was just a rod that was bent at the top for birds to land on hehe.
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steve49
58 posts
Jul 12, 2009
3:23 AM
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part of my problem is i've got a medium sized tree partially blocking my kitbox from the southern approach. i think since the birds are so new at flying, they just don't have the braking worked out, so they keep swooping in but with too much speed and keep passing the box. eventually i believe, since half already do, they'll come to land either on the box or at least my roof above it.
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Steve in Blue Point, NY
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rookie from ct
GOLD MEMBER
73 posts
Jul 12, 2009
11:04 AM
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steve49 give them time but watch for bad habits they will hover like helicopter then land like butterfly's it is so cool when they land like that. rookie from ct
Last Edited by on Jul 12, 2009 11:14 AM
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steve49
60 posts
Jul 12, 2009
11:35 AM
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hey rookie, how much time before i start worrying about bad habits? i flew them this morning, but only 3 took off, the rest stayed on the kitbox. i'm not going to flag them yet, and would think i'd need to wait another few days before i chase them up. i'll fly them again this afternoon, and hopefully they'll all fly. i'm giving them 1/3 of their daily ration in the morning, and i'll give them the other 2/3's tonite.
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Steve in Blue Point, NY
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JDA
GOLD MEMBER
342 posts
Jul 12, 2009
4:37 PM
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steve49...like I said shake that feed can with them on the roof and get them to trap with the feed can and there feeder over and over again they will go up on there own in do time.JDA
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katyroller
456 posts
Jul 12, 2009
8:50 PM
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I like to hold a couple in and let the majority out. In the past I've had birds get spooked and end up on the house roof for as many as three days before they got up the nerve to fly down to the kit box roof. Holding in those couple birds and putting them in a training cage where the others can see them, helps keep them in the area and reinforces that the kit box roof is a safe place.
Tracey
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JDA
GOLD MEMBER
344 posts
Jul 12, 2009
9:01 PM
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katyroller.. That won,t happen if they are trained to that feed can before you let them out. Steave has been doing it in the proper manner.
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katyroller
457 posts
Jul 12, 2009
9:11 PM
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JDA,
I'm talking about birds that were spooked on their first trip outside without a training cage and were old enough to fly. You could shake that feed can all day and those birds would sit on the edge of the roof wanting to fly down but you could tell that they were afraid to try.
Tracey
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steve49
61 posts
Jul 13, 2009
2:02 PM
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well, since i've been flying them since thursday (7-09) they've all got it now. today (monday 7-13) i could only fly in the afternoon (worked) and only 5-6 actually flew, the others sat on the kitbox. they were pretty hungry (1 tbspn) per bird over the weekend might have been too little. this afternoon, when the flyers dropped to the kitbox, before i called them in, i offered some feed in my hand and they had no problem eating out of my hand on the landing board. i'm going to do this for a while to tame them. i realize that if only a few are going in the air, and only flying for 5 minutes, i'm not feeding enough. also, maybe the birds who didn't fly were too hungry, so i might allow them to trap first, and get a little food, without actually dumping the whole kits food into the trough. this way, those that need a bit more food will get it, and those that are still flying will get their fair amount. thanx again for the comments, its been great coming to this forum each day to share my experiences.
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Steve in Blue Point, NY
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rookie from ct
GOLD MEMBER
75 posts
Jul 13, 2009
2:33 PM
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Hi Steve how old are your birds because if they are under 4 months don't under feed youngsters I let my young birds eat all they want they might fly a litter longer but I want them to develop the body before I worry about the time they fly as long as they trap they eat Rookie from ct
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steve49
64 posts
Jul 13, 2009
5:08 PM
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hey rookie, you bring up an excellent point. yep, my birds are around 2-3 months, but i'd have to check with the guy who bred them for me for their exact ages (i'd like to know too). he simply said, "i'll breed you a kit of 20, and you can start working with them as soon as you get your box finished." i've already discovered that feeding 1 tbsn per bird is not enough for these guys. half today didn't even fly, just sat on the kit box waiting to be fed. so, i increased their feed this afternoon, and will continue as long as they trap quickly. i'm afraid of letting them bum around too long on the kitbox waiting for the birds still flying. i'm going to start calling them in as soon as they land (even if they didn't fly) because i don't want any BOP's to snag 'em while i'm holding the kit till the last flyers come down. i feel they will be better off inside the kitbox, and waiting to be fed a few minutes won't hurt them or effect their training. they were real hungry today (monday) since i flew them twice on sat and sunday and that ration was probably too little even if they only flew once each day. one thing however, i'm standing in front of the kitbox, so i don't think (hope!) a bop won't bother them while i'm there.
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Steve in Blue Point, NY
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rookie from ct
GOLD MEMBER
78 posts
Jul 13, 2009
5:54 PM
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Steve after a few days if some are not flying try clapping your hands clap to fly wissel to come in it works well my birds will come ih low and if I am still cleaning there box I will clap and they will go back up thayy are smart birds and will learn what you want them to do.Rookie from ct PSSteve some day we will meat I am only 60 miles away but water between us Rookie
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steve49
67 posts
Jul 13, 2009
6:01 PM
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thanx, rookie! i'd didn't realize you were so close. you can contact me via email about getting together. do you know any other locals?
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Steve in Blue Point, NY
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rookie from ct
GOLD MEMBER
80 posts
Jul 13, 2009
6:19 PM
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That is a big NO I have been going solo execpt for the GREAT people on this site hell I had to cull 2 yrs of breeding because of not noing anything about training
my birds would fly for hours & hours sometimes I swear they flew all night but thanks to the new heating system at work I learned to use a key board Rookie from ct
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TheGame
576 posts
Jul 13, 2009
8:59 PM
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Rookie and Steve you guys can include me in too if you meet up lol :)
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Pumpkin Man
128 posts
Jul 14, 2009
6:26 AM
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Steve,
If you have some landing on neighbors house, throw a tennis ball or something close enough to make them fly off it. You might have to do it a few times early on but it won't take long and they will get it figured out not to land there.
Good luck.
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steve49
70 posts
Jul 14, 2009
1:02 PM
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well, the birds are really learning fast. i haven't had an issue with landing anywhere except the box roof or my roof above it. i guess it takes them a couple of days to realize there's no use sitting somewhere and waiting, since when they do decide to come in, there's no food waiting for them. hunger is a good tool for that purpose. otherwise, i'll feed more as long as they trap when i whistle them in. today i'm curious to see how they fly as they did get more food yesterday, and they all perched without looking for more.
Yo Shiv, you me and rookie should meet up at my place. of course, rookie will have to travel to us, its 2:1 LI!
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Steve in Blue Point, NY
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