Reservations on letting my young racers out for first time--Please Help!

[biophiliac]

very sleepy...will look for any reply tomorrow

(documentary on the upcoming One Loft Race)

 

[barn206]

Don't buy a 100$ bird as a new starter. Homing pigeons are very tricky to break in. You have a window period. If they get 2 old they will just rip and probably not come back. Also you can't break in an old homing pigeon. Impossible. Get yourself 2 pairs of older birds , not homers! Let them mate and sit on eggs. Then open the door/ screen to the coupe. Try to break in a few old ones ( any kind just not homers) first then let the young ones out with your old ones. Lamarsh showed a picture of a few of his birds on April 27 ( in one of his posts) those birds if you look at them are the perfect age to break in with old ones/ or by themselves . That's how I would do it if I was starting out. Once you break in a stock , you can sell the other birds if you wish. Or you can keep them

 

[LamarshFish]

Great job Lamarsh.. make sure that you let the bird that was out already and returned to the coop go out again with the other birds. If a bird flies away then comes back and hits your roof, through a little feed or some grit on your board by the trap
Good luck!!!
One day I'm going to share a few old tricks with you but your learning properly and doing great
Pat yourself on the back, you advanced to breaking birds in.
If the same thing happens again, put the birds in a carrier I need the coop, leave the door of the coop open and put a light on in the coop
Keep up the good work. I'm sorry you lost those 2 ... I've lost hundreds I wish I was there to help you

Thank you for the help and input. I have identified a few things I did wrong.

First, I built a loft from a set of plans before getting my birds, and before knowing how to train homers. The loft doesn't really have a landing board. I did modify the design though, and my bob door (only one, and it is on the "front" of the loft) has a predator door which flips down and acts as a small landing platform. It is small, but I have seen as many as 4 of my birds standing on it at once, so I think it will work. But, in hindsight, I do wish I designed it to have the bob door on top of the aviary such that the top of the aviary can act as a landing platform and make things a bit easier.

Second, not only did I not take affirmative steps to tame my birds and make them feel good around me, I think I did a few things to make that worse. Since a few weeks ago, I've learned that you need to be quiet around these birds, and not make sudden movements, at least when they are young and not fully tamed to you yet. The day I got my birds over a month ago, I banded them with numbered ID bands on their right feet. Then, the evening before I let them out I banded their left feet with bands that have my phone number on it since I got them in the mail that day and wanted them on my birds before letting them out. I had reservations about it, since the birds got stressed when I did it, and that was the topic of this thread originally. In hindsight, I think that was a bad idea, and I would have been better served waiting another week or so.

From the time I got my birds until I wised up a few weeks ago, I would go in the loft to clean it and did not care to move slowly, etc. Now I know to be careful about that, and things are better.

I started taming them with peanuts about a week ago. They get closer to me each time, and now one of my birds (#3) is eating from my hand (reluctantly, but she's doing it). The other birds are watching, and I know they are close to eating from my hand as well. Things are getting better. I am not rushing the next time I will open the door for them to let them out. Maybe in another week or two.

I am also getting 2-4 more month old squeakers from the same guy sometime next week. That will complicate letting my older birds out, but I will work through it. In hindsight, I'd have built a loft with sections for old and young birds, and maybe even a breeder section. Hindsight is always 20:20, isn't it?

Thank you all for your help! Will keep you posted.

 

[barn206]

Hey Lamarsh
Your getting it!!! I was going to make a suggestion yesterday but learning is about trial and error. So today I'm going to give you some advise what I would do . Make your landing board using a 4x8 sheet if 3/4 in plywood . Attach it long ways to the back of your coop wall and come out 4 feet in the front. Make sure that you make the overhang ( to the left of your coop) big enough that they can see the door ( at least 16 inches).
Here's what's next. The squeakers is that you bought on the 27th of april(saw the picture)if you look at the picture that you posted those are the perfect size to let out and they are controllable
The birds you have now are no longer squeakers. By getting new babies you going to be screwed up altogether . I think I have to tell you that your window period is coming to an end. Put some grit on the top of your board and open your doors. Make sure they are hungry! Do it today , tomorrow the latest. See what happens. If you manage to break in even 2 your life will be easier with the new young ones. Think about it. Just stand back away from the coop and no sudden movements . What do you think?
Also think about who told you 4 weeks in the screen before letting them out? Sometimes yes sometimes no. Remember this , the younger that they walk in and out, the better. Lastly If you are not racing the birds, did you think about making the hole in your trap bigger? Good luck, pat yourself on the back
George

 

[barn206]

Btw that breeder gave you healthy young ones( squeakers) . I would of kept them in 2 days-3dats and opened the doors / letting them out hungry. Even putting a little feed on the floor ( the side of your coop) and let them pick. I will say this that I would clearly stay away from the coop while I'm doing this

 

[Hokum Coco]

Thank you all for your help! Will keep you posted.

What works in one set up not necessarily works in another. Birds to begin with have different personalities. I am glad to hear you had some success. Once you have a few birds trained any new squeakers in particular will be that much easier to introduce to your set up.
Having the flock associate your presence with food and treats is good way to build a relationship with new birds it always worked for me with younger birds.

Just to make you aware it does not always work with older homers they still know where there original loft is and it sometimes near impossible to get them to bond to a new loft.