# Pigeons are ranging?



## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

I let my birds out this morning at around 10 AM. They usually stay put and they loft flew for the very first time yesterday. Today, I let them out and they have been out of sight for about an hour now. Does this mean that they are ranging?


----------



## sandiego (Jan 11, 2008)

yeap kid, just have fun with it... just keep an goodlook every bird you have before you let them out, make sure they dont look sick...if they do dont let them out easy target for the hawks etc...cure them first ...


----------



## Airbaby (Aug 9, 2008)

Any birds I have seen that are sick usually dont want to fly or even want out of loft, and if they do make it out they dont want to fly. If your birds are wanting out of the loft and wanting to fly or range i would say you are probably in good shape as far as health goes.


----------



## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

After an hour and a half, they came back to my house room. They saw me with the feeder in my hand and 2 we're so hungry they landed on my shoulder and the feeder. That was funny.


----------



## Airbaby (Aug 9, 2008)

*laughs* that is funny Kevin, when my birds come home they come towards me with the can also, i have to walk inside the loft and shake the can to get them to come inside other wise they come right to me. I think that is a good range time 1 1/2 hrs.


----------



## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

I was scared because right when I opened the door, they all just flew out and left.


----------



## bbcdon (Oct 16, 2007)

Man, if they are landing on your shoulder, that is cool. They must be really relaxed around you.


----------



## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

or REALLY REALLY hungry


----------



## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Congrats! You are progressing well and fast!


----------



## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

*Hi KEVIN,Now in 2 weeks you can start road traing, be sure to loft fly them every day for the next 2 weeks it is very inportant that they know the area for miles around your loft and that's what they are doing when they range* GEORGE


----------



## zeroc2k (Jul 5, 2009)

I bought a pair of white homer (2 months old)two weeks ago. And keep them in loft for a week, they loft flew for the very first time, both flew and gone, next day only one come back 
I have no idea why only one came back, what happen with other one. (Hawk got him?)


----------



## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

Zeroc2k,

You can't expect these birds to come back home when you only keep them in for that short amount of time. Plus, these birds have to be trained to go through the 'trapdoors' and introduced to a 'food call', and settled in a settling cage to be introduced to their new surroundings. 

Here's a few links that will help you get started the right way. Posted by the wonderful members and or staff of Pigeon Talk.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f14/training-methods-for-homers-amp-racing-pigeons-7449.html

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f14/prevention-amp-nutrition-for-racing-homing-pigeons-10859.html

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f14/training-young-birds-for-homing-amp-racing-pigeons-8046.html


----------



## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

bbcdon said:


> Man, if they are landing on your shoulder, that is cool. They must be really relaxed around you.


They're probably just really hungry and somewhat relaxed. They still get scared of me every time I hold them and put in a settling cage.



george simon said:


> *Hi KEVIN,Now in 2 weeks you can start road traing, be sure to loft fly them every day for the next 2 weeks it is very inportant that they know the area for miles around your loft and that's what they are doing when they range* GEORGE


I let them out everyday in the afternoon when it's cooler and they just seem to peck on the floor and wait til it's time to eat. I've only really seen them loft fly once and made about 2 - 4 laps and that's about it. Would the reason be because I'm feeding too much? Or feeding too little that they don't have strength to fly? I'm pretty sure that I'm feeding the right amount or maybe just a little over since I only feed once a day in the afternoon.


----------



## zeroc2k (Jul 5, 2009)

Kevin,
This bird is very smart, it learn by itselft how to use the trapdoors, everytime when it hear a food call it go through trapdoors and land to the food cage to to eat. (Actually my 1 1/2 months silver king show him (white homer) how to use the trapdoors


----------



## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

Okay, if so then the only thing I would suggest is give them more time to settle in your coop. Then, what I usually do is put them in a settling cage on top of the loft roof, my patio roof, then my house roof because they get a good view of their surroundings (Thanks Rod, this method works and it works fast!). So I would suggest doing that or maybe something a bit different to fit your settings (make sure to watch for BOP)


----------



## lordschisto (Nov 17, 2008)

Kevin said:


> They're probably just really hungry and somewhat relaxed. They still get scared of me every time I hold them and put in a settling cage.
> 
> 
> 
> I let them out everyday in the afternoon when it's cooler and they just seem to peck on the floor and wait til it's time to eat. I've only really seen them loft fly once and made about 2 - 4 laps and that's about it. Would the reason be because I'm feeding too much? Or feeding too little that they don't have strength to fly? I'm pretty sure that I'm feeding the right amount or maybe just a little over since I only feed once a day in the afternoon.


good day!

Overfeeding tends to make the birds lazy, if your feed mix contains lot of protein, then they're gonna get fat and heavy...feeding them with high in barley makes them energetic and eventually not lazy to fly...

heres a link for feed mix, hope this helpshttp://www.birdhealth.com.au/bird/pigeon/race-feeding.html


----------



## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

Thanks, so if I start over do i just go 2 days without eating then lessen the amount on the 2nd day? or just lessen it on feeding time?


----------



## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

You don't have to starve them for 2 days just lessen the amount of feed the next time you feed them. 

Glad to hear that your birds are ranging!


----------



## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Kevin,
You are welcome on the resettling techniques. Would you believe me if I told you that I did several experiments to see whether those works? The last experiment was the house roof info. What happened was that I may exposed my birds to my loft roof, but when the hawk comes flushing them all out, they get lost. So what I did was to put my 3 new birds on a settling cage and put them on the roof as part of the training. A week or 2 weeks later, they did get attack, disappeared, but returned! After that I started exposing all new birds to my house roof for 1 hour for several days and somehow made my resettling/settling very successful. And obviously I like to tell everyone because it might help other people. So as you can see my hawk problem may have taught me and others some new knowledge. My birds have to learn fast else they will die here. As their caretaker and teacher I have to find a way for them to learn fast without them dying.


----------



## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

RodSD said:


> Kevin,
> You are welcome on the resettling techniques. Would you believe me if I told you that I did several experiments to see whether those works? The last experiment was the house roof info. What happened was that I may exposed my birds to my loft roof, but when the hawk comes flushing them all out, they get lost. So what I did was to put my 3 new birds on a settling cage and put them on the roof as part of the training. A week or 2 weeks later, they did get attack, disappeared, but returned! After that I started exposing all new birds to my house roof for 1 hour for several days and somehow made my resettling/settling very successful. And obviously I like to tell everyone because it might help other people. So as you can see my hawk problem may have taught me and others some new knowledge. My birds have to learn fast else they will die here. As their caretaker and teacher I have to find a way for them to learn fast without them dying.


Thanks Rod.


----------

