hi, new member....

just joined your forum been having a look around, looks good. look forward to getting to know the members and getting involved with the topics.

hi little hen, look forward to hearing about you and your pigeons...

welcome to the site Little hen. good luck for the season................amanda

hi,my youngbirds are flying out ok but at the moment they are all over the skies and not grouping together,do i just leave them to it or take them down the road maybe at the end of the street and let them go,would this make them bunch?

hi little hen and welcome, your young birds will group in a day or two, i would not take them down the road yet they will not be ready if they are not flying together ... ray

hi ray,thanks for your reply you were right they are bunching nicely now,theres the odd one or two thats flying on their own but im not too bothered about that.

the ones flying on there own are the ones to look out for when racing

ive always noticed with ybs when they are flying the odd one or two just drop out of the pack and then join up again....they look like tipplers...lol

Spot on there Ian

David

When the birds just drop out of the kit land and join them again are you doors left open

If so David then shut the doors and start to use flags, if they carry on doing this then the rest of the team may start doing it

hi don, yes the doors are left open when they are flying....should i close them until they land ?

david when birds are out you should keep door shut only open door when you want them in

yes ian, il give that a try....the reason mainly is that when they are out flying i amm cleaning out ...but once i have done this i will close the door and see how they do...

David once your birds are out then close the doors even when you are cleaning the loft and grt the pigeon in a routine once the doors are closed they fly and once the doors are open get them in and then shute the doors no messing about

david i put my pigeons in different end and clean out first then i let them out and shut the doors can you do this or have you not got the room

i havnt got room to do that ian....but ken(friendslofts) races roundabout and this is very similar to how he exercises his birds by letting them out and getting them back into another section while he cleans out.....don, could i train them to fly while the door is shut and to land/come in when open as i dont like the idea of flagging....

Flagging is used to get the pigeons flying around the loft but once you let the pigeons out close the door leave them 10 mins then put the flag up after 20 mins take the flags down open the doors call the pigeons and get them in then you increase the time to suit you

They get used to it flags up fly flags down in the loft and this method starts as young birds but when the youngbirds have been trained and you need to get them fit

but wont it maybs stop them trapping on race days if they are flagged....because they will be reluctant to land ? not saying it will but ive never liked flagging because you cant have it both ways , land, dont land.....if you know what i mean...

Yes understand what you are saying but the pigeon knows if the flags are down they can land in the loft but if flags are out they must fly

One of the best flyers in the country uses the flag

i think ill do that with the doors don and keep them shut as like you say, if its open they will want to come straight in...mind you thinking about it i did that when they were ybs but just havnt bothered now they are yearlings....didnt realise th importance of it when i did it and thought nothing about it until you and ian have said...

Just hope what i have said helps you mate

i think my problem is im too soft with them, a friend said to me dont treat them as pets....i think i need to stick to what i want from them and not be too soft if they dont want to do it....

David you have to be cruel to be kind and not treat them as pets and make them work for there perch

i think once they are taught a routine and i stick to it , it will be better for them and for me....its like a dog i suppose....an untrained dog is a liability....