Why did babies flew away?!

[jak2002003]

I finally got my pair to raise their first pair of squabs after months of problems with them.

The 2 squabs grew up no problems and started to fly about outside with their parents for a couple of weeks. They got really good at flying and would fly around with the parents high in the sky.

All seemed well for about 2 weeks.

Then 3 days ago they all went out to fly as usual.. but the 2 young birds took off in a different direction to their parents and flew off into the distance in a straight line and did not return!!!!

3 days later (this afternoon) one youngster has returned and gone back into the coop.. very hungry. After eating he is frantically trying to get out again.. but I am keeping him locked up for now as I don't want him flying away again. I hope the other one will return and I can catch it tomorrow because I have to go away for a week the next day.... ARRHH!!!

Still no sign of the other youngster though.

I only have this one fertile pair and their (now single youngster).

Any ideas why the babies decided to fly away?

There is plenty of space and perches in the coop... and they have their own nesting box and are never bulled by the other birds. They all have food all day to eat.. so no lack of food.

Do you think the other youngster will come back? Is this usual for birds hatched and raised at their coop to fly away from it? No hawks here to scare them away. I find is so strange. The only other thing I can think of is that they went off with feral birds, but I was sure they would return in the evening to roost in their normal place. They are too young to be looking for mates or making nests.

Thanks.

 

[CCUK]

I'm sorry I can't really give an answer but I'm watching as I'm only a couple of weeks from letting my youngsters out. You loft doesn't seem as hectic as mine so it does worry me that mine just might not want to return. I hope your other one does return soon.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Do you think the other youngster will come back? If it is not back within 3 days I would resign yourself that it is lost there are always exceptions however. Is this usual for birds hatched and raised at their coop to fly away from it? It happens but it is not common. Their joy of flight and their ability to return do not always develop at the same rate and they over step their bounds. No hawks here to scare them away. I find is so strange. Hunger is the main motivator to return with birds of that age as you have witnessed.

 

[LamarshFish]

My only guess would be that they flew in a direction for reasons not understood, but flew too far and got lost. The one that came back likely flew back in a direction where it could find home, but the other either hasn't been able to do that yet or was killed by a predator.

In my relatively short period owning and training homers, I have noticed the toughest times are those handful of loft flights before you begin doing tosses. This is the time they are to acquire a memory of the few miles surrounding the loft, yet it is only them that can control that training, not you. The only thing you can do is do things that increase the probability that they have indeed memorized their surroundings before assuming they are officially dialed in. One racer told me that once they YBs disappear out of sight for several hours and then return home, they are ready to go.

 

[jak2002003]

Well, the bird still has not returned.

I let the parent pair out all day to fly about and try to attract the youngster back, but no luck.

Have to go away for a week now, so they will all be shut up for a few days (someone comes to feed and water then).

My hope is the young bird that has returned will be a female and I can pair her up to my only other male bird (which has the infertile female). Then I will have 2 real pairs in the future (and the spare infertile hen).

However, with the luck I am having with my birds the youngster is bound to be a male!!!

I will tell the person looking after the birds to keep an eye out for the lost one returning. They won't be able to catch it, but I will tell them to put food and water out for it (then it should stay about until I return). Can but hope.

 

[biophiliac]

Wishing you luck, and have a good trip!

 

[PigeonLady]

Hope the bird came back. I just wanted to make a couple of comments, since no one else mentioned it... when I train my homers, I always start out with a trap cage. This is a big cage placed in front of the trap. It allows the YBs to hang out for a while, look around the area, then they can trap in. I will do this several times before I will let them out to fly.
Another thing... Jack said the birds have food available all day. Try letting them get hungry by withholding the food, then put out the food when you want them to trap in. You can even condition them to respond to the sound of a shaking feed can or any sound, really.
Oh - one other thing. If I only had 4 birds, I would not fly them. It's better if you have at least 8 or 10 (or more) so they will tend to flock together. Maybe build up your flock some before trying to fly again.
Didn't mean to give a lecture. Hope this helps.

 

[jak2002003]

Hi pigeon lady. Thanks for your advise... yes it really helped.

I will soon have my flock up to 7 birds once the newest two hatched grow up. I will not let the other youngster out until the other babies are also able to fly.. then I can let the lot out together.

I am also doing to food rationing thing. I always left them with food and only refilled the feeders once they had eaten the lot.

Now I will only feed them 2 X a day (apart from the ones rearing the new babies). I will shake a tin to condition them to the feed.

Thanks again.

 

[thinkyesi]

Hope the bird came back. I just wanted to make a couple of comments, since no one else mentioned it... when I train my homers, I always start out with a trap cage. This is a big cage placed in front of the trap. It allows the YBs to hang out for a while, look around the area, then they can trap in. I will do this several times before I will let them out to fly.
Another thing... Jack said the birds have food available all day. Try letting them get hungry by withholding the food, then put out the food when you want them to trap in. You can even condition them to respond to the sound of a shaking feed can or any sound, really.
Oh - one other thing. If I only had 4 birds, I would not fly them. It's better if you have at least 8 or 10 (or more) so they will tend to flock together. Maybe build up your flock some before trying to fly again.
Didn't mean to give a lecture. Hope this helps.

You explained this so well!

 

[thinkyesi]

Pigeonlady explained it so nicely and well!
Never just let your birds fly out, you always want to let them be in a cage to look at their surroundings first. Also always fly your birds as a kit that way they stay together. The reason your young birds flew away from the parents is because you didnt form a kit, you just let them free fly wherever they wanted without know their surroundings and without knowing who to follow when flying.
The likelyhood of your bird coming back are not really possible. It most likely was attacked by something or got spooked and lost its sense of direction.
Sadly this is how we learn, by mistakes. But thats okay, we are just humans. And you have all of us here to learn more about how to raise your birds. We will help ya get thru this and any other challenges