Settling in to loft.

[Garrison]

I had all my homers stolen out of my friends loft. I just restocked with some young unflown birds, how long should I Iet them settle in before I let them stretch their wings, couple weeks?

[RichK]

I keep new birds in my loft for 2 weeks before I begin to let them out around the yard.

[ezzy333]

Put them out in a cage on your landing board for at least a week and probably 2 and then just do away with the cage.

Ezzy

[Garrison]

Thanks

[10Sam29]

I agree with Ezzy, a couple weeks in an outdoor cage environment. Give them a week to acclimate by flying around the area then increase their fly back distance.

[ezzy333]

Let them free fly till they are flying as a flock and are routing or are disappearing for a while. When you get to that stage they are ready for some homing training so take them a mile or so and turn them loose. And always do all of this when they are hungry.

Ezzy

[birddog1968]

Ezzy do you mean on the landing board daily and back in the loft at night?

[ezzy333]

Ezzy do you mean on the landing board daily and back in the loft at night?

Yes, I set mine up so I can put a fence around the board and I keep that up for a couple of weeks and then just take it off and let them fly if they want.

[DonF]

I used to keep them in a week or so if they were un-flown then just tie up the bobs and let them come and go as they wanted. What happens is the young birds wander out on the platform and look around a bit then go right back in. After a few days the might go up on the roof or some perch close by. When they do that I'd drop a bob, just one. Then every couple days I'd drop another till they were coming in right away. The last bob I raise is one that they touch a bob lightly on either side. They feel the bob's ride up a bit and back off. They may do that several times and then just go in. That's what works for my young birds now.