# Loft flying



## Roller mike (Aug 5, 2009)

When is the best time to loft fly young birds, Morning or evening?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

for the first three or four times I do it in the evening about an hour before I do the pm feeding, they seem to not want to fly off too far that way, then after they get used to flying and being out they all go out together any time of day Iam home....sometimes mine have open loft all day.


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## Kevin (May 13, 2009)

I loft fly my birds early afternoon. It really depends where you are, cause in the morning there are hawks around my area and I have lost one so I started flying in the afternoon and no problems since then.


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## Roller mike (Aug 5, 2009)

Mine have been out 6 times now in the afternoon, no hawk problems, I feed twice a day morning and night so i was thinking on flying them in the am on weekends when i am not working.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Roller mike said:


> Mine have been out 6 times now in the afternoon, no hawk problems, I feed twice a day morning and night so i was thinking on flying them in the am on weekends when i am not working.


If you do not have a bad hawk problem sounds like they are ready for open loft when your home...they really do get in good shape with open loft...I can feel my birds when I pick them up..they are tight and strong.


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## Young Bird (May 2, 2007)

I would let my pigeons out in the evening during the week and morning and evening on weekends before they where fed.


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## ohiogsp (Feb 24, 2006)

I think if you can in the morning it is best cause they will fly longer. If you can let them out in the evening also it won't hurt.


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## Big T (Mar 25, 2008)

There is a difference between loft flying and loft training. 

Loft flying is older birds that are trained to your loft. These you can fly whenever you think it is safe. For me, because of hawks, it is after the second clear day no eariler than noon, (this gives the hawks time to feed without feeding on my bird). When the wildlife in out and about showing no fear or alarm.

Loft training is very young birds just learning the ropes while building wing strenght. This training is always with the last two hours before daylight and before I feed them. I open the loft but never force them to fly out. I watch each night for who comes out and then trapped back into the loft. As the young birds get wiser and braver, and all have came out of the loft and learned to trap back into the loft when called I will open the loft a little earlier so they can fly a little longer before I call them into feed.

Tony.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Both! I always let my birds out twice a day, every day, if I can. The only time this changes is if I can't get home before dark or during the week when I have to leave by 7 for school. On the weekends I have my birds in the air as early as I can while it is still cool outside. The fly the best early in the morning, no matter the season. In the afternoon's they are typically more reluctant to fly, or at least not as long. Especially if it is hot. I usually let my birds out anywhere from 4-6 in the afternoon depending on when we get home or if it is a weekend. Either time I let them fly as long as they are willing. Then once they have landed they get called straight in for food, unless I feel like giving them a lazy day with an open loft for a little while.


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## Roller mike (Aug 5, 2009)

I let them out this morning, they did fly really well but i had a hard time getting them in.
They were exploring rooftops most of the morning, all of them are young birds being trained.


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## de Vera Loft (Mar 11, 2009)

Roller mike said:


> I let them out this morning, they did fly really well but i had a hard time getting them in.
> They were exploring rooftops most of the morning, all of them are young birds being trained.


Feed them once a day and trap train them again, you'll see the difference.. Let them out very hungry or if they don't want to get out, put them on the landing board and rattle the feed can or show them that the others are already eating and they surely they will get in, after getting in, while eating, get them one by one again and put them on your landing board and they will trap again for food, do that 3 times a day while feeding during trap training week.. After trap training, let them out late in the afternoon before sundown.. This way, they will recognize that the other birds are already getting in to eat after flying so they will surely follow them ASAP.. I've tried it with my younger birds and it works.. After they are well trapped and settled, you can go back to your regular routine, feeding two times a day (do not overfed them for they will have the habit of staying outside and not trapping faster) and you can let them out in the morning and afternoon..


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## dvtlegend (Oct 20, 2007)

I feed my birds once a day, That way it's easier to control them and call them in whenever I want. Found it best this way because I used to feed twice a day and let them out twice as well, but sometimes some birds get to eat more than others and I will notice that they will stay out longer even when called in for the second feeding of the day. After I switched to feeding only once, the birds are let out only in the afternoon around 1pm and fed afterwards. Also, hawk issues do very depending on where you live. I have had hawk attack different times of the days no matter how many times I switch the release times.


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## Roller mike (Aug 5, 2009)

Thank you all for the replys, I do need to work on trap training, also they act like they cant find the way in, it takes me a long time to get them rounded up. They just loaf around on the roof or on the ground. Any ideas? They even land on the board but then back to the ground? I will try the once a day feeding.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Roller mike said:


> Thank you all for the replys, I do need to work on trap training, also they act like they cant find the way in, it takes me a long time to get them rounded up. They just loaf around on the roof or on the ground. Any ideas? They even land on the board but then back to the ground? I will try the once a day feeding.


If these are young birds you are talking about, what is the big hurry? they need time out just flying and do what they like, in a few months. before racing season then you can flag them and make them fly and then go on the training tosses, yes they need to trap in quick if your going to race them and call them in away from the hawk, but that should be easy to fix without starving the birds and then not having the energy to want to fly...it is a delicate balance that takes time....I see no need in one time a day feeding it may cause gorgeing of the seed.


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## Pegasus (Feb 6, 2007)

Roller mike said:


> When is the best time to loft fly young birds, Morning or evening?


I do fly my YB's in the AM before (9am) feeding time...I figure that they need as much time as they need to fly then come home whenever I call them to eat...I also let them out to fly after they eat in the PM, in this case, they will be staying around the loft and not to fly so far...


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## Roller mike (Aug 5, 2009)

I had a visitor yesterday evening in the form of a coopers hawk!! I have not even seen any hawks till now, so i will be working on the trap training this week to get them in faster, the worst problem i have now is feral cats. I will be feeding twice a day still as we are in a cold snap now. Beetween the hawks, molting, and health issues its suprising we get to fly our birds at all LOL LOL


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