Is there a different, easier process for training new squeakers once you already have a flock traine

[LamarshFish]

I stared my loft with 6 squeakers. They're a few weeks out from their first flight. I am about to start training them for the bob door, then some yard training, then a flight. But it made me wonder something. In 6+ months I assume a few of these guys will have babies. Do I need to go through the same training process for the babies, or, once they can fly, can I simply let them out with my other already trained homers and have them simply learn to get back to the loft from the other pigeons?

Is there any process that I can cut out when training the offspring of my homers? Or should I go through with the same process of training the youngins to use the bob door, etc?

 

[Hokum Coco]

Do I need to go through the same training process for the babies, This is what most fanciers do. Training squeakers with homers can result in loss of young birds because of lack of conditioning. Should I go through with the same process of training the youngins to use the bob door? You would be wise.

 

[barn206]

Hi lamarsfish
You are talking homers right? You should train them as young as possible. once they come out of the nest, they should be in and out of the screen looking around. If you are going to let them out alone as young ones then don't spook them and let them flap around on their own. If they are a little hungry , you can control them with feed little at a time ( not early in the morning)If you intend on putting them out with old ones, then I would fly my old ones first ( a good fly) and then let the young ones out when the older ones are done flying. If you do this when they are young then you can easily train them with a bamboo pole. One they are use to seeing the pole , you can control them going into the coop easily. Homers will fly,route and land. Once they land they should march right in the coop . Just be prepared to have a few take off and not come back. It happens sometimes
Good luck!!!

 

[jak2002003]

I stared my loft with 6 squeakers. They're a few weeks out from their first flight. I am about to start training them for the bob door, then some yard training, then a flight. But it made me wonder something. In 6+ months I assume a few of these guys will have babies. Do I need to go through the same training process for the babies, or, once they can fly, can I simply let them out with my other already trained homers and have them simply learn to get back to the loft from the other pigeons?

Is there any process that I can cut out when training the offspring of my homers? Or should I go through with the same process of training the youngins to use the bob door, etc?

I just let mine learn from the parents. I let them come out in their own time. The only think I would do is keep the bob trap open at first until they are used to going in that way.

My loft the young birds live with the adults anyway.. it would be different if I separated the youngsters ... then the training would be my job, not their parent pigeons job.

Don't worry about them coming out the first time and flying away. Because they will be just learning to fly and are not strong enough to fly far at that stage.. which is good as it give them time to get familiar with their outdoor surroundings.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Quote:

 

[jak2002003]

I found this method worked for me when my flock was small. Surprisingly I found out latter it was also coming at a "PRICE".

There came a point when training just became awkward.

Loses and time wasted sorting and basket-ting bird just became no longer feasible.

That is when I began to house young birds in a juvenile area. This just makes training so much easier in so many respects.

They load themselves into the baskets with a little sprinkle of shelled unsalted peanuts. They go directly into the loft knowing being home first means getting the lion share of peanuts which is a great training tool and in short supply on arrival.

It leads to more harmony in you loft less bullying. Your young birds are more adjusted to live with the adult birds when training is done. The final result is your young birds "ADORE" you more and develop a closer bond with you and become less aloof.

You are quite right, and I would do the same as you if I used my birds for racing or homing.

But, my birds are just pets.. and they only fly around the house and garden... so I don't need to train them to baskets and things like that. Only training I need to do is call them back when I want to shut up the coop for the night, and I found the young birds lean really fast how to use the bob trap by following the adults.

 

[barn206]

Racing homers and having homers are 2 different things. It's hard to offer advice to a post when you aren't at the coop physically to actually see what's going on. I think everyone has different ways for taking care of their birds. The bottom line is to enjoy them There are 100 ways to make a sauce and the same goes for having birds. No wrong or right. I was under the assumption that these young ones were slightly older and never been inside the screen. Anyway let us know how they made out.

 

[LamarshFish]

Thanks!

Hi lamarsfish
You are talking homers right? You should train them as young as possible. once they come out of the nest, they should be in and out of the screen looking around. If you are going to let them out alone as young ones then don't spook them and let them flap around on their own. If they are a little hungry , you can control them with feed little at a time ( not early in the morning)If you intend on putting them out with old ones, then I would fly my old ones first ( a good fly) and then let the young ones out when the older ones are done flying. If you do this when they are young then you can easily train them with a bamboo pole. One they are use to seeing the pole , you can control them going into the coop easily. Homers will fly,route and land. Once they land they should march right in the coop . Just be prepared to have a few take off and not come back. It happens sometimes
Good luck!!!

What is this bamboo pole training? Can you explain how it works please?

In case it helps you guys tailor your advice to me, I only have 6 birds right now, about month old squeakers. I do not plan on ever having much more than 12-15 at any given time. I do not plan on racing, but I do want them to home, and I want them to make it home within about 10-50 miles if possible.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Thanks!
What is this bamboo pole training? Can you explain how it works please?

In case it helps you guys tailor your advice to me, I only have 6 birds right now, about month old squeakers. I do not plan on ever having much more than 12-15 at any given time. I do not plan on racing, but I do want them to home, and I want them to make it home within about 10-50 miles if possible.

I have an idea what the pole training is about to encourage them to enter the loft faster. I never used it myself and would not mind hearing this fanciers take on it as well.

My loft is only 12 x 8 approximately and I only plan on maintaining a flock of about 50 homers +-. I find my method of training suits me whether I am training a flock of 2 or 22 new birds. As has been mentioned this is what works for me in my set up. My older homers load in my toss cages as soon as they are put in place. That is one of the benefits of my system along with the familiarity with some of my birds.
You can ignore or customize your set up to met or reject any or none of the information suggested. That is some of the benefits of the site it makes you aware of different systems where you decide to employ them is entirely up to each individual.

Knowledge you find is a simple thing to carry around (I have 67 trips around the sun).

Example to calculate the area of a circle

I have never used that once in my adult life.

 

[barn206]

Good morning and that is exactly what I used the bamboo pole for. I used a bamboo pole to walk my birds into the coop after I flew them. They were so use to this method that eventually after the birds landed I would keep them locked outside for a bit just to look them over. As soon as I raised the screen the birds would run into the screen, through the trap and into the coop where fresh feed and water were waiting for them. Sometimes a strangler ( one that isn't doing what the other birds are doing) would not head for the screen and actually perch on top of it. I would move a bamboo pole over and behind his/her head and "walk them down off the screen and finally on the roof of the coop...leading them back into the screen . Once in I would close the screen behind them and they would go through the trap and into the coop to eat.
"I" trained my birds this way because if I had to leave the roof/loft for the day , I could get them in the coop safely and feed them. Then I was done with that coop. at the time I had 3 coops to take care of. / 3 stocks
Anyway this is just another method. I don't know your coop set up. Some walk their birds right through the coop door. Every coop is different.
Right now I have 19 healthy chickens and I'm learning everyday about these little ones.. I don't have pigeons now but if I come across them I'll probably pick up a couple of pairs and start again, but not to fly . Just to breed and have them hang around the yard in the afternoon and watch them. It is an addicting sport/hobby and I don't think one ever gives it up.
So I'm getting back in the action. This time with chickens. Hope this post helped.