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

[biophiliac]

Good thing they're not cooing yet which I think is part of the mating display. If they aren't yet breeding age at least that won't entice them to stay with the ferals. Can't believe the Lamarsh Loft menu plan doesn't compare favorably with the ferals diet!

 

[LamarshFish]

My only problem is that I don't know which of the remaining 4 was the one that was let out and returned.
.
Now this I see as unfortunate.

So you haven't let anyone out since Friday? If you open the trap, what are the odds 1st bird out is the experienced one?

I do have a feeling the one that was out was #4. I think it's possible if I open the bob door the one that was out before steps out first, but they have been eating today so I can't try it yet.

#1 and #5 are still missing.

 

[LamarshFish]

Good thing they're not cooing yet which I think is part of the mating display. If they aren't yet breeding age at least that won't entice them to stay with the ferals. Can't believe the Lamarsh Loft menu plan doesn't compare favorably with the ferals diet!

Part of my concern is the fact that we have quite a few ferals where I live. It is a semi urban area. There is a huge zoo about a mile a away. Quite a few live there, presumably because there's food and water there. Funny to think my pigeons could be over there landing on or near some giraffe lol.

A related concern of mine is the fact that my loft is in my backyard, in the corner, and there's lots of trees around, making it not very visible from above. But the two that are missing spent most of their time the first evening out on my roof, taking laps around my neighborhood and then landing back on my roof over and over. I'm hoping they were routing and remembering my house and roof, and view of the loft they came from....

 

[biophiliac]

From what you say, they can't be lost. Naughty, naughty birds!!! I'm surprised those 2 could fly so long without tiring 1st time. I'm sure you are keeping a look out for them. And remind me to get different colored leg bands instead of numbers! HA, HA Learning a lot from you.

 

[biophiliac]

I do have a feeling the one that was out was #4. I think it's possible if I open the bob door the one that was out before steps out first, but they have been eating today so I can't try it yet.

#1 and #5 are still missing.

So, are #5 & 6 your newest ones? What about a scant feed in am then let them out an hour before pm feed?

 

[biophiliac]

But the two that are missing spent most of their time the first evening out on my roof, taking laps around my neighborhood and then landing back on my roof over and over. I'm hoping they were routing and remembering my house and roof, and view of the loft they came from....

and then they looked at each other and said: Time to paaarteee!

 

[LamarshFish]

But the two that are missing spent most of their time the first evening out on my roof, taking laps around my neighborhood and then landing back on my roof over and over. I'm hoping they were routing and remembering my house and roof, and view of the loft they came from....

and then they looked at each other and said: Time to paaarteee!

Yes lol, I am hoping they are just out enjoying the world, with intentions of coming back home. Losing confidence, but most of the people I have spoken to that know these birds and hear what happened seem confident they will indeed eventually return...

 

[LamarshFish]

Sort of ironic I started this thread just before my first time letting my homers out, with concerns about letting them out, and now this thread has turned into me just whining about losing two of them and folks offering me shoulders to cry on lol.

I appreciate all of your input and positive thoughts! Still keeping my fingers crossed that #1 and #5 return back to my loft! Otherwise, it's back to square one with some new squeakers, as well as re-thinking how I go about letting out my remaining 4 squeakers.

 

[biophiliac]

Why has # 4 not been allowed out again? He was a good boy/or girl and is being punished for the bad behavior of his mates? Is he at least getting an extra ration of peanuts? I says this at the risk of being personally responsible for the loss of all your birds!. Since I have followed so attentively I feel like I have a stake in their success. It is nerve racking but from here it looks like you are minimizing your progress and magnifying your setbacks. Keep going, please.

 

[LamarshFish]

Why has # 4 not been allowed out again? He was a good boy/or girl and is being punished for the bad behavior of his mates? Is he at least getting an extra ration of peanuts? I says this at the risk of being personally responsible for the loss of all your birds!. Since I have followed so attentively I feel like I have a stake in their success. It is nerve racking but from here it looks like you are minimizing your progress and magnifying your setbacks. Keep going, please.

I am going to wait a few weeks before letting any out again. I will be gone this weekend out of town anyways, so I won't have much time. Next scheduled time to let my pigeons out will be next weekend. I will be feeding plenty of peanuts in the meantime to increase incentive for them to come home. Next time I will also make sure they are even hungrier before letting them out, and will also sprinkle food near the loft so they have an incentive to first hang around the yard for a while. The immediate routing and flying done by #1 and #5, although entertaining to watch, IMO was not ideal. What #4 (maybe #3, not sure) did, just going outside the loft on my grass to peck at the ground, and then return back into the loft through the bob door, I think that was the ideal situation for a first time release. Everything can't be perfect though.

Hoping to come home from work tonight to all 6 of my pigeons.