how far?

[cullenwruth]

when i get my homing pigeons how far away should i take the birds to train?

[RoostersMom]

Start by training them to your loft - small distance at first, letting them fly to the coop from the yard. Feed right before you release them so they are good and hungry and want to come to the coop. Then, take them in the cardinal directions away from the coop - not too far - and release them. You can train with pigeons as far away as you want too. The guy I buy from used to drive 4 hours for work occassionally and when he did those days, he'd bring the homers with him and release them before he headed home. They would always beat him back.

I'd rather err on the cautious side, so I do the cardinal directions thing at about 400 yards each way and then do 1/2 mile each way before I'm comfortable using them for training.

[ezzy333]

Start by training them to your loft - small distance at first, letting them fly to the coop from the yard. Feed right before you release them so they are good and hungry and want to come to the coop. Then, take them in the cardinal directions away from the coop - not too far - and release them. You can train with pigeons as far away as you want too. The guy I buy from used to drive 4 hours for work occassionally and when he did those days, he'd bring the homers with him and release them before he headed home. They would always beat him back.

I'd rather err on the cautious side, so I do the cardinal directions thing at about 400 yards each way and then do 1/2 mile each way before I'm comfortable using them for training.

I think it must be wrong but I think Roosters Mom meant DO NOT feed just before you release them. When they ARE HUNGRY THEY WILL HURRY BACK AND THEN CALL THEM IN TO THE LOFT AND FEED. I fly them till they start courseing and then take them out a half mile or so and release After a couple of times doing that you can go 5 miles, then 10, and 20 or 30 if you want. We fly the young birds 300 miles in the races and the older birds 500 to 600 miles.

Ezzy

[cullenwruth]

thanks for the help guys!