# Pigeons will not fly or pair up?



## billy_whizz83 (Aug 26, 2014)

HI im new to this game really ive had my birds over 8 weeks now and they will not fly no matter what i do i keep birmingham rollers i had 7 birds non will fly they just want to sit about all day or fly on me for feed.

I has just added a good flying bird into the loft that lived with racers to see if this will get them going.

today one of the birds hit the floor got up and was stumbling all over the place i managed to get it in but its eye has gone funny?

when it whent back up that is the only time i had seen it fly it went high up and went around then sat in a tree for ages.

ive tried stones flags hose pipe you name air horn they will not fly 

HELP PLEASE


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Hello and welcome to PT

They haven't opened up at your place yet as its new place for them. Don't push them they may go away. They probably are out of practice that's why they don't fly much. Give them good feedmix+vitamins and minerals supplements.
Don't let them sit around your loft all day. They will condition themselves to just sitting around the loft by picking favorite spots. Let them out hungry to fly only so that they get to know when they're out they're supposed to fly. Slowly they will condition themselves to it.

What are you feeding them and how much??? Do you fly them hungry???

They're new and will take time to settle down. When they feel comfortable they will assert themselves in your loft and then coo for partners. Give them nestboxes and reserve one for each. Lock them up in their respective boxes with a mesh wire every night. The males will treat it like their personal room and then will try to attract a mate, by cooing in it.


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## billy_whizz83 (Aug 26, 2014)

Hi i feed wheat at a table spoon per.bird once a day i can.get them.to.eat from.my hand and can.get thenm.in the loft by whistle no problems when.i let them.oit all they do is sit on the foof no matter what i do they wont.fly other than that there on the floor looking for food


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## billy_whizz83 (Aug 26, 2014)

And i fly them hungry also


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## willygog (Apr 22, 2014)

sounds like there craxzy for food, i feed mine just under 2 tablespoons a day...they will still trap in 3 mins or less... they dont fly real good either,, i was feedin them 1tblspoon and they were a little under weight,, i slowly went up till i had control but they gained weight , if they left anything behind, i cut back 1/2 table spoon till they were cleaning it up and just near nothing was left.. i give 13 birds 22.5 tablespoons.. JMHO


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

billy_whizz83 said:


> Hi i feed wheat at a table spoon per.bird once a day i can.get them.to.eat from.my hand and can.get thenm.in the loft by whistle no problems when.i let them.oit all they do is sit on the foof no matter what i do they wont.fly other than that there on the floor looking for food





billy_whizz83 said:


> And i fly them hungry also


Like we humans,pigeons too need a balanced diet to stay healthy. They need a mix of grains to have complete nutrition and stay fit. There are many pigeon mixes sold at pigeon supply places.
Also give them grit and water soluble vitamins and minerals supplements twice weekly to gain back strength.
You can build an aviary/fly pen attached to your loft which your birds can access at their free will whenever they want to. They will practice their wings in there, can have sun and fresh air and can bath in there too. When they look in form then you can try them flying. If they don't fly trap them in immediately and try in the evening or next morning. They will get the message that when let out they need to fly. Also by sitting cooped up they will get eager to stretch their wings once they open up with help of your training. Rest is the game of bloodline. If they're good quality birds they must show improvement.


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## billy_whizz83 (Aug 26, 2014)

I have my birds on wheat and have a bowl of grit down for them i feed them once per day 8 birds 8 table spoons total they never leave anything i have i cant seem to find the balance of too much feed or not they guy i got them of had food down for the 24hrs a day???

lads i speak to round my way always say feed wheat only and keep them hungry a table spoon per bird once per day.....


im also about to add in some aviform ultimate

ive just added in a cock tumbler thats a proven flyer i will see if he brings them on in 2 weeks time just trap training him at the moment


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## billy_whizz83 (Aug 26, 2014)

willygog said:


> sounds like there craxzy for food, i feed mine just under 2 tablespoons a day...they will still trap in 3 mins or less... they dont fly real good either,, i was feedin them 1tblspoon and they were a little under weight,, i slowly went up till i had control but they gained weight , if they left anything behind, i cut back 1/2 table spoon till they were cleaning it up and just near nothing was left.. i give 13 birds 22.5 tablespoons.. JMHO



yeah i just give them 1 spoon each once per day there better trained than my dogs just wish they would fly.ive changed a few things now so hopefully i may see a change.


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## billy_whizz83 (Aug 26, 2014)

Well still no change with my birds they just sit on the roof even the proven flyer is doing it now i just cant get my head round it??

Have any of you guys ever taken your roller a half mile away from home and let them out?

i just want to see them fly!!


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## willygog (Apr 22, 2014)

You can take them a little way from the yard but since they haven't flown yet if you go too far, they wont find there way back, that would be my guess, I have been experiencing almost the same thing, and i carry mine 300 ft away in a box, then throw them up, they have to fly up to get back to the loft, but as soon as they get high enough they can see the loft.. i have a row of big trees in front of them, so they fly , do that everyday for a week or two, and then let them out and see if they fly.. if not back to the box.. thats what im doing and today I had a short 21min fly,,, but it was a start.. How old are your birds?


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## willygog (Apr 22, 2014)

I was only giving one tablespoon and found that if there young birds that isn't enough, just me, but i went up to 1 1/2 tablespoons,, they must be strong and well fed to fly ,, seems to be a heck of a balancing act.. 
Seems that going up till you find they dont come right away, could help, if they just want in to be fed, they likely dont fly.. try giving them all they want for 15 mins, then see how much they ate,, measure before and after.. it will tell ya how much they eat , and feed them that amount.. but fly before feeding, see if that helps to get them up,, if they stay out too long, and ignore you,, cut back just s smigeon.. good luck


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## loftkeeper (Sep 21, 2010)

to me there not getting enough food to fly if they are very young they are still growing and need more nutirion let them eat for about two weeks all they will clean up in 15 minutes to me your feeding a smaller bird like rollers tipplers that need less training methods for racers is different


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

*Feed them!*

Until they get over the stress of the new home they should be fed all they Will Eat.
NEVER restrict feed on a Bird that is under stress. 
IF they are flyers, they will fly when they are in CONDITION too.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. Do we know if these are flying or show rollers? Do we know their ages? If health is not an issue, then progress can be made even if they were show birds. Like Lucky said increase feed: i mean protein so thier muscles can wake up. Train every other day in the beginning. Then, every day. Then twice a day if possible. 
At first watch them after they eat just a fraction of feed at a time. Do they start flapping their wings shortly after they are done? 
I would increase protein to 13.5 and let them eat on flying days: all they can eat. Go hungry the next day and rest. If they come out the next day and become active, that would mean that they have the spirit to fly if not then you can give them exersise by having them chase you around for treats. 
Also, try taking away their water at night and water them at feeding time. 
When you are using the sporty bird as a tutor, do not let all your birds out: just one bird only. If it gets to fly, then add another bird or exchange for another next time out. 
Final comment: if the previous owner fed them breeding mix 24/7 out of the clean feeder then i am most certain that they are just fat and out of shape yet. If my previous method( higher protein intake) fails in two weeks time, then go with barley and get the fat off. Keep in touch.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Almost forgot: please do not feed them from hand on training days. Fe: put a plate down and add two or three seeds per bird and watch them after they are done to see if they get happy and start flapping their wings. Thanks.


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## billy_whizz83 (Aug 26, 2014)

thanks for all the feedback i today took a few out 50yrds from my house and flew very nice i have brought them in and put down food till they stopped eating 2 cans of wheat...(baked beans cans) they have eaten around a can and a half of wheat....

i have no idea how old or what background these birds come from i bought them of a young lad.

i have had the birds around 2 months now..

the last guy fed them a corn mix or wild bird seed!! i never seen them fly when i bought them either.

i will try it again tomorrow with a few others and see what happens


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## loftkeeper (Sep 21, 2010)

they need a mix of feed for complete diet you can train with this it is not to starve birds to come back for feed but train when feed can is rattled to enter the loft


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## willygog (Apr 22, 2014)

billy_whizz83 said:


> thanks for all the feedback i today took a few out 50yrds from my house and flew very nice i have brought them in and put down food till they stopped eating 2 cans of wheat...(baked beans cans) they have eaten around a can and a half of wheat....
> 
> i have no idea how old or what background these birds come from i bought them of a young lad.
> 
> ...


The usual amount of food is one cup of feed for 10 birds, 16 tablespoons, fed once daily, 
If you exceed that which they eat, approx 1.6 tablespoons, they may hesitate to come in.. if they take longer than 4 mins to come in cut back ..

Since carrying them out works , keep it up till they learn when you let them out they fly,, work the times in the air by more feed, or less feed, shoot for an hour in the air.. yes you have to work them up to it..


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## billy_whizz83 (Aug 26, 2014)

loftkeeper said:


> they need a mix of feed for complete diet you can train with this it is not to starve birds to come back for feed but train when feed can is rattled to enter the loft


what do you feed what kind of stuff do you have a link.

I think maybe they have been under fed as i can get them in straight away and sometimes its all they seem to want to do is go back in the loft for food ect.

thanks again guys


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## loftkeeper (Sep 21, 2010)

feed store should have some or know where to get some check around


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## willygog (Apr 22, 2014)

I use a mix of 50/50 wheat an milo, and some trapper peas, or canadian peas..


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Atheletes need a balanced diet to perform. I bet if anyone can survive let alone perform on bread only.
Balanced feed is what birds need to stay healthy. Electrolytes for three days and then vitamins and minerals supplements NEED to be given so that birds can up their metabolism and digest the feed to extract most out of it. Complete nutrition will help birds to come into form. Until they come back in form birds must be fed twice daily. Offering feed for 10-15mins in mornings and evenings and letting them eat as much they can and removing the feeders when they're done is simplest method. Supplements will help shed the extra fat not starving the birds by feeding less or one or two types of grains only.
Birds can be conditioned to fly when they come back in form/health. Its achieved by fly them in kits not letting all the birds out to fly at once and pushing them to fly. Young birds would need a mentor. Once birds are settled, do not take all your birds out to fly at the same time. Take 2-3 birds out at one time. Keep the rest inside the loft. Toss the kit of 2-3 birds up in the air. Don't let them land,you can use a flag to scare them a little. You can take them 50-100 metres away from loft too. If they don't fly, trap them in and try next kit. Don't let them hang around on neighbors' property. When they're tossed in the air no other bird should be out. Birds should only be shown when you want the kit to trap in or land if they stray. Slowly they will open up. After open up and start to fly then you can let them all out together to fly and can start feeding(heavily) once daily.


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