How to train homer pigeons to come back ?

[Cocoa1212]

Hey guys I have 8 homer pigeons and I bought them about 2 months ago and was wondering if I could let them out and if so how can I train them to come back . They all have raised a lease 1 hatch of chicks so does anyone know how to train them ?

 

[cavemanrich]

Looks like you have adult pigeons if they already raised some lil ones. If you release them now, they will ether fly back to their old loft, or just fly away to nowhere to return.
To homeset the adults, it usually takes about 3 or 4 batches of young and then you have to do the following.
When your hen is sitting on eggs, you release only the male mate. If he returns, then you continue this a few times more. Then you release only the female. if she keeps returning then you have a homeset pair. You would need to do same for each pair you have. If you have a good bloodline, they will refuse to be homeset and just return back to their original loft. Regardless how much you try.
That is why peeps keep pigeons prisoners. (a term used to describe a pigeon that is well taken care of but not let loose into freedom)
To homeset your young ones, start at about 4 weeks, or as soon as they looked feathered out. Release them hungry out of your loft. They will not go very far, since their flying is limited. They will return back to their father to get fed. They still do get fed some by the male pigeon. Mother pigeon is usually already sitting on a new clutch of eggs.
Keep doing this with young pigeons until they readily keep returning back to your loft. Once that is achieved, they are considered homeset.
If you let your young and adult pigeons out, and adults decide to return to their previous loft, your young pigeons will not follow the adults. Their home is your loft.
To do the loft releases, you do need an aviary and a pigeon trap. Your pigeons are visible to the outside pigeons in your aviary. The trap is a one way entrance, so the outside pigeon can enter loft, but those in loft cant exit. Ask anything else you are not sure about.
WISHING YOU BEST and ,,,,,,,