# how to train homing pigeons come home bak?



## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

hi i have just recently bought some homing pigeons. and they are all grown up and healthy birds... some of them got their wings and tails are cliped and some are not?

please help me how to train them so they do not fly away .

they are in the loft atm as seller told me i have to shut them for 6 weeks then let them out. and only feed once a day so they knw me that im gonna feed them so they will adopt me? is that right ?

please help me

and how long it takes their wings and tails to grow back so i can let them out of loft?
I am from New Zealand and its summer here


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Firstly, don't let out the birds whose tails and wings are clipped. I don't recommend anyone to clip the wings and then let them out. They become easy prey for predators.

Secondly, how old are the birds and were they flown by the old owner? 


Essentially, what you want to do is train them to a feed call first. This can be a whistle, shaking a can of feed, verbal words, etc. Make the same sound EVERY single time you feed them. After a while (maybe 2 weeks), they'll understand that the sound you are making is a sign that its feeding time. You can test them out by making the sound first before feeding. If they get excited that means they know the sound means food.

After you have them trained to the feed call, you want them to be trap trained. A trap is basically a tool where the bird can enter the loft from the outside, but they can't leave through the same entrance. There are a few different styles out there (bob trap, drop trap, etc). 

Once the birds know how to enter through the loft (a settling cage might help), you can let them fly. Loft flying at home first, and then slowly increasing the distance. 

When you want to fly racing pigeons, the best thing you can do is get unflown babies (30-35 days is the best). Or if you have older birds, you can breed them and fly their babies.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

when their feathers grow back out they may just fly back home, esp because they are older birds. usually if you want homing pigeons to stay you have to get them young, about 30 to 40 days of age not flown or just weaned birds and settle them in for a few weeks untill they know you're feed call then let them out on a calm sunny day for the first time. someone else may come to help you as I do not recommend trying to rehome older birds. I hope you did not pay too much for them...but I guess you could always go get them back from the loft they came from if they fly home, which is what homers usually do.


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

they are older birds and been flown by last owner as well... 

* thier last home is 35 km away from where they are now


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

i bought them last week.. and first they were not eating well when i was feeding them.. but now im only feeding them once a day and now they are eating all the grains.. 

now before i will shake the food to make some noises so they know its the feed time


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

sangha said:


> i bought them last week.. and first they were not eating well when i was feeding them.. but now im only feeding them once a day and now they are eating all the grains..
> 
> now before i will shake the food to make some noises so they know its the feed time


I would not recommend letting them out... unless you call the owner and say you are, so you can go get them. 21 miles is pretty easy for them.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

They have been flown, you will have to keep them as breeders. If you keep them for 2 months or so and let them out they will go back, that's why they call them homers. If they do stay after only 2 months they are not very good birds, and you really don't want them for breeders.. JMO
Dave


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## HappyXD (Dec 2, 2011)

Hey Sangha,
Where about in New Zealand do you live?
Are you by any chance indian?
Any way they Might get used to you like spirit wings said they might return if their older. Homing pigeons are known to fly from places they have never been to. This has happened to a lot people I know they were older and they flew straight back to the old owner before them


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

so what i do now? i do not wanna cage them whole their life?

how long i have to shut them in the cage ? so they wont fly away and forgot about thir last owner


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

Take them back and get young birds that you can train.
Dave


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

hi 
HappyXD

yes i am a indian 

and i am in tauranga..

well so confused what to do now  if they wont stay after 2 months or so..


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

ok so i cant do much with these birds i gueess they will fly bak? carzy pete?


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

If they are good birds you could keep them as breeders we all have them, I have 12 pair that I don't let out, it's some thing they learn to live with.
Dave


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Take them back and ask for young unflown birds, if he is on the up and up, he should do that for you. Other wise he gets the birds back and keeps your money if you let them out when they can fly.


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

they are 20 birds 12 are with clipd wings and 8 re not ... i bought it online so do not where owner lives.

if i keep them as breedrs and aftr i got new birds .. then i let them out the old ones.. and if they fly back to your old home thts fine with me but the youngers will stay home?


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Yeah. Any racing/homing pigeon that has been flown will fly back to their old home. You can fly their youngsters (who will be born at your house) and they will consider your house their home.


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

ok BRAR shaab ..

so i will breed some more pigeons and let the older fly to their old homes once my ones strat flying


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

You might not want to release the old birds if they're good. Just keep them and continue to breed from them. Otherwise, just give the birds to someone. 

Are there any racing clubs in your area?


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

I live in small time so i have to findbout if tgere ani racing v clubs


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## HappyXD (Dec 2, 2011)

Just breed them and let them have squabs then let them breed again so they have eggs and hopefully the eggs will help them to stay. But like others have said keep them for breeding, and fly their offspring's unless you know that the parents will stay and not fly off back to their old owner.


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

Ok sangha saab.. one of them got i injured today . Got head stuck in loft. Cudnt move so his wings bleed a bit coze he tried to escape. Now judt stiing on corneraftr i freed him from.. nt eating or dri king


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

That happens from time to time if the birds are not use to you .try to close where the birds can get there head through and spend as much time with them as you can .that way they will settle and not freak out every time you got to the loft... it's a learning thing .... one more thing if you do have young and teach them to trap and fly DO not let the old birds out the same time you let the young birds out .. the old birds will fly back to there old home taking along all your young birds with them


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## pigeon1977 (Nov 10, 2012)

Who u bought the birds from ? If u spend a lot of money I would keep them in another loft n put the young ones in another loft n fly them


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## nzroller (Jun 12, 2012)

I had racers back in the day... My option would be to breed from them and race the youngs.. With pigeons you want to start CLEAN.. Thats just my personal op.. Good luck with them either way!


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## sangha (Dec 29, 2012)

thanks evry one


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## HmoobH8wj (Apr 7, 2011)

it kinda of waste of your money if you just let the old bird go like that. you should just keep it too. are those homer any good?


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