# They didn't come home?



## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

I've had these homers since they were little, they have been out of the loft before. But for the first time yesterday I took them about a mile away from the house and as soon as I let them out they took flight to the nearest roof and sat there fir hours. Then only one cane back, there has been no sight of them since! What did I do wrong? Might they still come back?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

blessitwings said:


> I've had these homers since they were little, they have been out of the loft before. But for the first time yesterday I took them about a mile away from the house and as soon as I let them out they took flight to the nearest roof and sat there fir hours. Then only one cane back, there has been no sight of them since! What did I do wrong? Might they still come back?


usually you take them down the road if you want them to get in shape for a race.. you do this after they have been flying well as a flock and routing out... they could or should come trinkling home when they are hungry.. did you release them after you fed them?... that can make them lethargic too.. usually you want to basket train by taking them in sight of the loft first for few times then start taking them down the road...

how old are they?


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## TN_PIGEON (Aug 20, 2010)

I've had one of mine not show up for two days, so there might still be hope.

Regarding your question: probably got in a bit of a hurry and took them too far, too soon.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

They might be home today,when they get hungry....I hope you didn`t feed them before you took them out for a fly...Homing pigeons should be flying around where they live for a few weeks or more...Once they are doing that,you can start taking them away from the home area for a toss...If your not racing them,you should start at even 1/4 mile...There is no hurry to train them,if you are not going to race them....Then,the next day 1/2 mile...Then 1 mile..Then 2 miles...Just a little at a time...If you have 15/20 birds,you can start at 2 or 3 miles....There are more brains to lead the way....Hope you missing come back...Alamo


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

Yes I did make the mistake of feeding them first, they are about a year old.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

blessitwings said:


> Yes I did make the mistake of feeding them first, they are about a year old.


you should read up on the how to motivate them to fly straight back.. full bellies won't help that... so they may show when hungry it may take a few days.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

They can still come back if they have good homing ability. It varies it seems! Just give them couple of days. The one that came back have good homing ability. The others may not have good ones and since their bellies are full, they are not that motivated to go home. Also this is their first time so they don't know what to do yet!

Try Alamo's tips next time.

When birds start ranging or going out somewhere, they will go farther than 1 mile. So 1 mile toss is like nothing.

If they haven't come back in a couple of days, bring the one that came back home and release it at the same location. If the missing birds are still there, it might lure them and follow him home. Then put in your notes that these birds may not be that "good" or basically "cull" birds. I don't breed birds like that.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Hi blessitwings

In the past I've had young birds not return home immediately , the longest time taken was 3 days last winter ....it was windy rainy and cold , horrible conditions . Just after I had given up hope she was out on the loft roof .

So hang in there , they are truely amazing birds * fingers x'd for you *


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

Thank you all, well they still have not returned home YET. I'm still holding out hope that they will return. What is weird to me is that 2 of the four were mated and only the female returned. Another question is that they didn't seem to flock and stay together, why is that?


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## Gnuretiree (May 29, 2009)

They learn to fly through practice around the loft.


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Gnuretiree said:


> They learn to fly through practice around the loft.


I agree with Gnuretiree , had your birds had that opportunity before you took them a mile away ?


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

whytwings said:


> I agree with Gnuretiree , had your birds had that opportunity before you took them a mile away ?[/
> 
> they've been let out to fly for about a year now, but they rarely fly around


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

blessitwings said:


> whytwings said:
> 
> 
> > I agree with Gnuretiree , had your birds had that opportunity before you took them a mile away ?[/
> ...


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## ezemaxima (Jan 12, 2008)

If they was not ranging or routing even after being let out of the loft for a year your birds would most likely not make it back especially if they have the bad habit of landing anywhere they want and hangout there. I suggest you take that 1 bird that came home and take it back to where you released them or sort of check around the area if you can spot them but make sure not to feed it and just have food waiting in the loft. Also check other peoples loft or where ferals hangout near the area. Do it multiple times if you have to do so.


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## boneyrajan.k (Jul 15, 2010)

are you sure,its a homer ?


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

george simon said:


> blessitwings said:
> 
> 
> > *The key is in your answer to the question ask by someone in an earlier post.You said "BUT THEY RARELY FLY". Young healthy racing homers LOVE to fly. This leads me to believe that your birds were sick,for a long time. I have had young racing homers fly for 1 to 2 hours and leave the area around the home loft. I wonder if the birds were infact homers.Wish you could show us a picture of these birds.I do hope that you get your birds back.* GEORGE
> ...


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## boneyrajan.k (Jul 15, 2010)

do u have pics of them ?


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Another thing you might want to consider is that your pigeons might have gone into someone elses loft. Is there someone else in your 5 mile radius that keeps pigeons? Maybe if you tried calling them and asking you might get some input. Good luck my friend, and never lose hope!


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

Here is a picture of one of the offspring


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

Now here is a picture of the offspring


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

I have not been able to locate in lofts in my area, does any one know of any in north east GA


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

That sure is a pretty bird! Is that the one who came home? Sure doesn't look sick. But then pigeons can have low level infections and/or worms that sap their energy. Have you tried shaking a can of food and giving them your call? I hope more come home soon!


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

While two of them were still
on the roof that same day I took the food and the food tray over there trying to catch them but they took off flying toward home but never show up


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## Pegasus (Feb 6, 2007)

@ Blessitwings, hi...How long you have the birds and are they loft flying at least once? If they didnt loft fly at all, why try to release them some where far? I honestly will suggest to you not to force the bird to fly, in other words NEVER release any bird if they didnt loft flying at all...This are the chances we take no matter how long we train them go in and out to trap, once they are out the coop its all up to them when they want to try to take on the sky...If you have some other birds that are roofing, let them roof around, thats another way of they are trying to familiarized their surroundings...Sometimes it takes awhile for them to fly but eventually they will get in the air...


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## FrillbackLover (Mar 18, 2011)

i agree homer dont "rarely fly" they were either sick or not racing homer


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## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

the bird you have is beautiful . I'm sorry that your birds haven't come home yet ......I was hoping you'd tell us at least another one made it home


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

No birds still I let the others out hoping that the female might go out and at least lead her mate back home but they just hung out on the ground and on the window


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

FrillbackLover said:


> i agree homer dont "rarely fly" they were either sick or not racing homer


What kind of sickness should I be on the look out for? They all seem healthy they just had their 4 in 1 about two weeks ago they all are eating well, good droppings, bathing and acting fine


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

No offense, but you have beautiful birds and they were probably bred for color and not performance. Get some better birds. You may have "culls." 

I raise ferals, too, and although they loft fly, I have never seen them range or go somewhere.

With respect to diseases, there are many that can affect performance. Obviously respiratory disease will really prevent them flying much or not at all.

I think your problem is that your birds may have lost their homing ability. Some of my beautiful birds have low homing ability that I consider them as culls and so they don't get toss and just fly around my loft and become foster parents. 

Get a better birds!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

blessitwings said:


> What kind of sickness should I be on the look out for? They all seem healthy they just had their 4 in 1 about two weeks ago they all are eating well, good droppings, bathing and acting fine


if they all seem healthy why the 4 in 1 ? it is not good to medicate for prevention.. but do treat only when you have to.. when they show a sickness. I would deworm them with just a dewormer..and don't over feed when you let them out.. and not use that 4 in 1, if you have to treat for a disease..use the one med for that disease or sickness... if they are healthy perhaps putting them in a crate and taking down the road will get them flying and in shape...making them fly home to get used to it.. if they are new to this it may take some time.. sounds like you are feeding too much before letting them out.. just a possibility, and they are just new to this whole thing..keep doing it and they should improve...


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## FrillbackLover (Mar 18, 2011)

dont give pigeons meds for something they dont have, you wouldnt take tylenol if u dont have a cold yet


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## blessitwings (Jun 27, 2010)

Ok good advice. I was just going by what the web site i bought the meds from said, but that makes since, thank you


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## ERIC K (Mar 29, 2010)

first off sorry about your birds hope they still might find their way home.
second you did nothing wrong with the meds, pigeons carry all sorts of organisms inside them all their lives and a good caretaker will medicate a few times a year to keep the bugs in check. Racing pigeons need to be in top form and with the meds help, before breeding and at the start of racing season the most.
now with that said you live in GA near Athens not to far from Atlanta. This years home to the DSRPA race and convention. The web sit list all the pigeon handlers in the Atlanta area. www.dsrpa.org you will fine that the pigeon people will have birds from all over the country in their lofts and might have a few extra young birds of their own to sell. All the handlers name and phone # are listed on the web site. Just remember pigeon people love to talk about their birds and the sport.
If you can wait after the race in late summer they will have bird to sell from the race winners and a person can get some great birds at that time too. 
good luck
Eric


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## shadowoak (Mar 19, 2011)

*did not come home*

i think they still will come home . i had a new bird once that got away after only two weeks in the loft . and it came home .


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