pigeons

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Adamdirk
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pigeons

Post by Adamdirk » Mon Sep 24, 2012 11:48 am

I bought some young pigeons two weeks ago. I let their pen open to let them fly for the first time yesterday morning, and they aren't back yet. are the coming back?

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ezzy333
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Re: pigeons

Post by ezzy333 » Mon Sep 24, 2012 11:54 am

Hate to tell yu but I sincerely doubt it. They should have stayed close and been back in last night. But there is a chance so keep the loft open. If you need more birds let me know and we can find you a few good ones.

Ezzy
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It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!

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DonF
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Re: pigeons

Post by DonF » Mon Sep 24, 2012 2:29 pm

Were these un-flown pigeons? If your gonna buy them try for un-flown ones. The white above their beak should not be white yet but they should be flying around inside and eating on their own. If they were un-flown and haven't developed the white bridge over their beak, just leave the trap tied up. On the down side, if they have been flown before you got them, they probably went home.
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

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Adamdirk
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Re: pigeons

Post by Adamdirk » Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:35 pm

I don't know how young they were (maybe 12 tO 14 weeks?) but I was assured they were never flown.

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dreamerofdreams
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Re: pigeons

Post by dreamerofdreams » Mon Sep 24, 2012 5:52 pm

I don't even have homers, just culls from the local pigeon factory. We were working pigeons Saturday and Sunday. Then today, as we sit there eating dinner, I hear a great big THUD on the glass door. I go and open it, and there's the darn pigeon, sitting right there knocked silly! :D

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Adamdirk
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Re: pigeons

Post by Adamdirk » Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:45 am

this morning one came back and is hanging around the coop, no signs of the others

ggrimm
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Re: pigeons

Post by ggrimm » Thu Oct 04, 2012 4:46 am

The pigeons are like your dog, they need trained to return to the pen. I found info on the www on how to teach them to return. Some of the highlights are to feed them on a regular schedule, and only feed what they can eat in 10 minutes, and to whistle or make a noise associated with feeding. Then release the birds close to the pen just before feeding time. Then call them back with the feeding call(whistle). And then start increasing the distance until you reach the distance that you will be using the birds for training. Also you need to get them used to entering through the trap. Hope this helps.

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DonF
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Re: pigeons

Post by DonF » Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:13 pm

It's not so much they need to be trained but rather they need to be given a reason. They need to learn to go thru the bob';s if your using them. If your loft is safe for them, has water in it and feed, then when your ready and the birds are comfortable there, open the bob's and let them come and go on their own. if you just take them out and turn them loose, they might and they might not get back in. You took them out the door and they won't get back thru it unless you leave it open. If you stuff them out the re-entry door, they might and might not again. But if you open the bob's so they can come and go on their own, they will go out on the landing platform and look around before they fly off. Lot of time's they will go out look around and go right back in. They are finding the way in and out on their own. Now if you have birds that have been flown, chances are your gonna lose them if your not careful, they will leave and go home. But, if you wait till they are on a nest, you'll probably find them coming back. if your birds are ferals, lock them up a month or so and then start letting them come and go. Your gonna lose some but the other's should keep coming back unless they are harassed. The best birds to get are the young that don't have that band over their nose turned white. If they still have some peach fuzz on their head so much the better. Once they start flying a bit in their home loft and can eat and drink on their own, take them home finish raising them and your gonna have birds. Don't get into a big hurry to get them going. Most the people that do that or start using them to soon, lose their birds or most of them.
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

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DonF
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Re: pigeons

Post by DonF » Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:21 pm

Adamdirk wrote:I bought some young pigeons two weeks ago. I let their pen open to let them fly for the first time yesterday morning, and they aren't back yet. are the coming back?
How young? You probably got birds that had already been flown. They might be young enough and just can't figure out where home is. Two weeks is pretty soon to my thinking.
That band over the top of their nose, was it dark or was it white? If white, they may or may not have been young birds and they may have already flown outside at the loft you got them from. That will also lessen your chance's of getting them back.
I pity the man that has never been loved by a dog!

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ezzy333
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Re: pigeons

Post by ezzy333 » Thu Oct 04, 2012 1:50 pm

I have done like Don suggested. Just open the trap door and let them out as they want to go without pushing them to do it. An even better way is put a cage out on the landing board and let them out into the cage for a week and then take the cage down. Someone told me once if you can keep the young birds on the landing board for an hour before they fly they will come back. Won't swear how accurate that is but I do know it works pretty darn well. If you end uo with older birds it might be best to wait till they are on nests and then open the door and let them decide when they want to go out.

Ezzy
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=144
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=207

It's not how many breaths you have taken but how many times it has been taken away!

Has anyone noticed common sense isn't very common anymore.

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