# Rollers finally trained, but there's a problem



## driver_hr (Dec 15, 2012)

Hello guys i have a small kitbox in which i keep 4 rollers at the moment. After losing a few birds in my first attempt of training them, i then used the soaping method which has worked really well.

Now the problem is when i let them out, they just sit on my shed or a nearby tree. When i throw a tennis ball at them, they then fly in large circles for around 5 or 10 seconds and they land on a tree again. I have not seen any of them roll so far but this may be because they are only around 4 months old.

I had them on half feed but now ive increased it to full feed as i thought this may be the problem but nothing has changed. I feed them half milo half wheat, just over 3oz for all 4 birds.

I am really happy they are all trained very well, soon as i shake the feed can they come down straight away and into the trap. But i would just love them to fly properly, can anyone please give me some advice. Thank you.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

sounds like you trained them to not fly by soaping the wings.. why would you do that to roller pigeons?


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## driver_hr (Dec 15, 2012)

Because im new to keeping pigeons and lost 3 pigeons in training with my first attempt. Then a member on here recomended soaping the wings which i did do and it did work. Now have you any advice for me about them problem i mentioned in my original post?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

driver_hr said:


> Because im new to keeping pigeons and lost 3 pigeons in training with my first attempt. Then a member on here recomended soaping the wings which i did do and it did work. Now have you any advice for me about them problem i mentioned in my original post?


I have heard of soaping wings for homers, did not know rollers had the same fly away problems homing pigeons have. Usually rollers can be settled in a few months, or less I have heard. To get birds up people can flag them. If you only have four maybe adding more to the flock would help. Their quality may be a factor as well.


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## Part Time Pigeons (Jul 27, 2012)

I have rollers but have never had to soap their wings, but i understand your situation. Its tough losing birds! I would just give them more time since you have accomplished something by getting them trap trained and not losing them. Thats half the battel. Sounds like these birds have never had the opportunity to fly till lately so it would be like having very young birds out for the first few weeks not flying much cause they dont have the experience or endurance. If it were me i would flag them gently if i felt they were very comfortable with their home. They will get going eventually.


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## 2y4life (Apr 5, 2010)

Driver, if they have been with you and "flying" for two weeks and are still not flying, take them half a block away and then toss them up. That should help a bit with the landing right away.


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

I would breed from them and try again with their young.

Rollers do fly away, Good rollers are just as wing strong as a racer if let to be and have less homing instinct so naturally you will loose more than homers, But In saying that I disagree with soaping, The birds need to be settled using a cage before they are even able to fly, Then let out while they are still weak on the wing and never scared for the first 2 weeks, If they are not flying on their own accord they are either poorly bred birds or something is going wrong with their feed, Good flying breeds, fed properley and kept well will fly and thats that IMO


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello PT. I have never seen the soaping method. That aside, if you wish to experiment: weigh each of your birds seperately. Feed them somehing for a week then weigh them again. Record their flight time and weather of that day. Try all your feeding methods for one week each and record it. I am guessing your birds are on the fat side. Which one of your birds lands in the tree first?
Fly that bird the last or not at all.
Do you use droppers? If not, use that one as a droopper and do not scare it up.
Feel you birds by hand once a week when you weigh them. 
Feed them straight barley or increase the barley over time to 100 percent of their diet.
Hopefully some of them will lose weight and improve. 
I also think your birds are out of condition, and you are flagging them too much. Just once then, hide the flag.
Releasing them from a block away sounds good to mee but do not release all of them. Just two of them will do. Then use the rest of them to get your birds to land where you want them as soon as possible. 
Once you get them settled to your liking, then start their endurance training. 
When they go into trees do not scare them, wait till they are cooled and land them and lock them up inside.

Birds do not always feel like flying so the ones that do not take off, do not worry too much and let the others fly if you were flagging them.
If rollers are easy to come by for you, then continie your experimentations. Otherwise, take Nz Pigeon's advice and only fly their young with a better feed and settling and training methods.


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## laughingdog (Jun 14, 2011)

Buy a decent as multi scatch grain, and wild bird seed with caged bird grit to try to start (easily digestable), i only start train feed half cup per six kit of flying birds, i won't get/start flying less than six birds, just not worth it and no more than dozen to twenty to start at most as to hard to control to do what want to do originally. usf


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## laughingdog (Jun 14, 2011)

If you. only got on good pair of performing fliers lock them up and breed from, allowing as much exercise as possible as found don't have health or other problems most seem to have from confining to small cage of 24" x 24" x 24" at most recommends . i use 40" x 40" x 40" (20" high only for parlors), and add fourth layer to readying breeding pairs, then feed straight layer throughout breeding season for breeders and squeakers till out of breeder cages, as providing. two nests per hen will let her lay again after squeakers are about two weeks each time, and never had hens burn out or either parent stop caring for either nest. my squeakers are strong but also pudgy which burns off when flying and on diet for, but gives them good start, and I've only had peragrines cull my worst birds for me strengthening rest. i also let my breeders out to fly before feed in evening and morn,


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## beefy (Jun 23, 2009)

*flag em*

They should be flagged up. They should feel that they should land no where but their kit box. Once you have them doing this then like suggested flag them up out of the box. And if that doesn't work take em down the block


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## laughingdog (Jun 14, 2011)

Mine start performing at three to six months, though some will oddly roll when in nest when spooked, but will tumble even as learning to fly. as for flagging i tried throwing the darned broom even at new kit and without skiddish lead hen the rest just stare at me when do, and have even hit them with broom probly each at least once or twice and one hen hit few to several times i know. Broom got caught up on power line and stuck there for days and that kit sat on and all around! they're starting to perform and fly great and long when they do, so maybe slower younger ones are dragging rest down for now.


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