Getting YB up on the wing

I notice a lot of fanciers get youngsters straight onto darkness, or keep them in several weeks after weaning, and just let them do there own thing when let out. Usually this means pecking about the garden and flitting up and down from the shed roof. One train of thought is they end up too strong on the wing and once they do go up, usually spooked by crows etc, then you loose some as they just get up and go. Same when it comes to training, they've never really ranged far, just floated around the loft.so 2 things, they haven't a lot of experience on the wing, and secondly they haven't developed muscular/fitness so if they make a mistake they aren't up to getting home.
Do you get them flying asap once off the parents and how do you achieve this?

ive always tried to get the ybs out of the loft as soon as i can once weaned, so they can have a look around and not be too strong on the wing, but i tend to let them potter about the loft as soon as possible before they go up, my method being they get to know the surrounds as much as possible, hence maybe less chance of loosing them .

sometimes it works to opposite way, and they become lazy and dont want to fly .......

Think that was a big advantage with a completely open loft with regards young birds, they just did the natural thing, out when they decided, no doubt guided by their parents, natures way.

If I had not been able to have open loft would have let the young out as soon as they were capable of going out and not able to actually fly far, or even fly.

Now of course you have the raptor problem which makes a difference.

But over all, I think a pigeon knows it's home and where it was bred, many instances I could recount regarding this.

Just one, a friend liked a pair of young ones in the nest and they were just about ready to pick up, still in the nest.

Said pick one and take it.

A few weeks later the young one turned up at my loft.

Regards.

got no option, sparrow hawk here will take them in a blink, tree coverage next door both sides,lost so many in past with y/b's fluttering around on top of loft with no chance of avoiding hawk, have had birds taken off lawn no further than few yards infront of me, keep mine in aviary well into april, they are strong on wing so its always fingers crossed for first 3 or 4 times out, don't go on darkness till april 1st through to june 20th, never had problem with laziness, do what works for you imo

Aviary for mine. They watch the barn pigeons avoid hawks. Never in a hurry to let them out. Too many hawks around here right now. Old birds not even out yet.

Was a very wise fancier, in my mind, from Scarborough. Misty knew/knows him.

I, as often posted, was not happy at all taking youngster from him... Far too young I felt. On way bak son said 'Dad, you don't look very happy' etc. I said 'No I'm not. I am taking youngsters home to struggle, if not die on me. At best, if they grow, they will be inferior' etc. etc.

Took them home as did as he said. Yes I thought little of his words, especially that if I did as such he said, 'They would be hard to loose. Infact seldom lost.

Any way first week I fed them in a basket. Then let out into the loft. Fed in or then out the basket. Then left the door open so that they could walk in and out! - Later I used the aviary for that. Left them to their' own devices going in and out. I was amazed how quickly they shot into the loft first sight of / or scare.
Left to own ranging - as I always did. True, nary lost one. Even timed in well from Pau. I won't tell you how old they were when bringing them home, you wouldn't believe me!

Now I realise that they were basket trained with no worries. Gained a natural love and contentment of their hotel.
So all I asked was that they tried to fare well when raced.

Now that system, with a open loft, I believe can't be beaten … if possible, for other reasons etc.
Indeed never need to train/toss etc. easy to manage and a robust system.
Yes - days gone by when the air was cleaner, youngster used to fly up and out of sight. Roam in 60 miles circles etc.- Still do them roaming's.
Fit and full of zest. And we- or some - then start sending them training in as little as 3 - 5 mile tosses with gradual increases.
To my mind a total waste- and may I say without insult, a utter and stupid waste of time and money … But then so and so does etc. so it must be right! Sorry all lo;l

Young ones, old ones. Out in the rain.

redrog wrote:

got no option, sparrow hawk here will take them in a blink, tree coverage next door both sides,lost so many in past with y/b's fluttering around on top of loft with no chance of avoiding hawk, have had birds taken off lawn no further than few yards infront of me, keep mine in aviary well into april, they are strong on wing so its always fingers crossed for first 3 or 4 times out, don't go on darkness till april 1st through to june 20th, never had problem with laziness, do what works for you imo

I know the feeling Rog Trees etc . I have a metal training crate here (50/60 birds) which I place on top of my race flight for when they are youngish in nature. Spend a few days there going through the traps as part of the learning curve etc. That being said if you pick the wrong moment in time Hawks/cats/neighbour's you can be stiff some what when first letting babies out I suggest. My record here is about 3 seconds out, up & away & never to be seen again as such.  

Had to build my loft under trees … When I packed up, they were lopped down.
Was why I built a false roof that completely over lapped the loft about 9 inches high. Wind / breeze could pass through which ever the direction. Yes wasn't damp inside.

Thought, once that trees serves a purpose in not getting many strays in Maybe not, but I must say I didn't get a lot. Certainly not so many as most. But then, I guess, that not needing to train, or toss the birds this meant many, would be strays, didn't tag along.

big weeping willow in front of my "old lofts", birds would come back from a race and sit in the tree ........

good job i never took racing too serious .

Winning is nice David but if that is all you are interested in and you do not enjoy all the other activities involved then you are going to be disappointed on many occasions as one can see on checking the timers, some have a laugh others just leave when not in the hunt.

The whole point of any sport is to do your best and congratulate those who do better, than you at times.

Regards.

Agree Misty, the biggest thing is to 'Enjoy' or it is a waste of time, expense.

Daz wrote:

Agree Misty, the biggest thing is to 'Enjoy' or it is a waste of time, expense.

Little word that etc Daz Enjoy huge ramifications thou I suggest if/when one looses that factor with our sport as such.

One certainty is the better the 'Top Boys' better all around all members. Their very own performances improve. No two ways about that... which also - mostly - brings more satisfaction and happiness its self. Same as all sports. Training with a better class of participator improved all beneath them. Indeed in al walks of life.

Its not getting the top, the issue, its staying there!
Never though, amazes how those who have lording it over and enjoyed a great season or two, or more, how THEY moan and whinge so much as when another one or two are on parr, let alone have a better season.
Indeed seen many pack up . Most saying that it was no longer a love, that they had done it, been there and got the tea shirt' etc. Mostly meaning that they hate being beaten!

We are guilty of letting ybs get to strong but rarely do we lose any off the doors . Its bllody short chucks we lose ours . We try to find safe places but its getting harder with the bops

Another day or so mine go out. Young and old. Wire door to attach plus small landing boards to it. Stock loft. Many raptors around but they have to learn the younger ones. Expected losses? Old and young assuming 5. Sunday looks a reasonable day. Migrant birds starting to return so raptor food. Tired birds easy hawk prey.

most of ours can see out from there nest and we get them out immediately when weaned but always stay close to them until they are on the wing we also have box flights on our lofts

David wrote:

big weeping willow in front of my "old lofts",  birds would come back from a race and sit in the tree ........

good job i never took racing too serious .

Know that feeling well etc David Unfortunately I did thou take things seriously for many years as such & many a time I felt like jumping my fence with a chain saw & attacking my neighbours large, large gum trees which stood above my lofts here . Now how things change over time. When I first built my house I had a large yellow box gum (10/12ft at the base) right in the middle of it Solution hire the largest dozer/digger available & push it all down the hill, with no council type saying I couldn't do it. Today because of the greenie type pretenders I have now to have permission too even cut my rose bushes as such Crazy world.