Young Pigeons - What Now?

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:55 am

Thanks to the help of you great forum members, I have 10 young pigeons in my coop as of yesterday.

The guy I bought them from said to keep them cooped up for 2 weeks, just feeding and watering them, then to open the doors and let them fly at their own will. After I know they have all flown on their own accord, close it up. Then to start using them close...like around the yard for a week.

He never really elaborated on when I can start moving further out with them.

Does the schedule he described sound right and when can I start getting further away with them for training?

Brittguy · Post by **Brittguy** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:11 am

When they fly as a group around your place and go out of sight for periods of time,then it is time to take them for short trips. Start at just one mile or so. Then make the toss longer add maybe another mile. Work your way up to five miles. After five miles you can increase the distance quicker.When starting out go in different directions.
I know that starting at a mile the birds probably have already been that far or at least see familiar ground quickly. This is the way I was taught and it works for me.Farthest I have taken my birds is 40 miles but I know I could go much farther it I needed .

zdiddy · Post by **zdiddy** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:35 am

if it were me I would put those birds on top of your pen every day for a couple weeks so they can see there surroumdings, just for a few hours in the evening then train them to go through the bobs back into the coop, I tried the first way and it didnt work, I even waited 6 weeks, use a wire cage on top

Don · Post by **Don** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 12:16 pm

Just open the bobs and let them fly on their own. After a couple days, drop a bob. Couple more drop another. do that till all the bobs are back down. When you take them out to turn them loose, you probably won't take them as far as they've already been flying. But just do a mile or so at a time, it will make you feel better and the results will be the same.

AceofSpades41 · Post by **AceofSpades41** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:20 pm

I know there are no sure things especially with pigeons, but I've had the current crop for three weeks. They've sat out in the aviary pen daily and imo they have gotten the lay of the land.

So I'm going to start letting them come and go on a daily basis. Two questions;

1. Should I begin letting them out at day break or later?
2. How long should I let them come and go before I start dropping them?

Post by **ezzy333** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:35 pm

Let them out about an hour before you normally feed them and don't scare them to make them fly. Hopefully they will take a couple of days before venturing off the loft roof. Feed them at the normal time and if they are hungry they should come back in. Do this for several days and they will start to fly on their own.

Ezzy