Splitting young birds?

[Diamond Dave]

I never had a problem getting YBs to fly. As somebody has already said it's about routine. Pigeons can tell the time, they know when it's feeding time. I could easily get my birds flying up to 2 hours (running) and I knew within 10 mins what time they would return.
A tip for anybody wanting YBs to fly well. Is choose a feeding time and feed that time everyday. I normally fed my YBs at 4pm (just once a day) (You can choose anytime to suit yourself) When they are just learning to fly I'd have them out at 3.30 and as they got stronger, I'd let them out earlier and earlier. Always feeding at 4pm. The amount was adjusted by time flown.

Brilliant that King and so simple.
I have always been aware of the need for routine but I have always thought it wasabout exercise so I let them out at the same time everyday. Therefore feeding gets later and later.
My youngsters are probsbly too old to change now but I shall defo look to use your method next year.
Cheers mate.

[Murray]

Im wondering if splitting my young birds cocks and hens into different sections will improve their loft flying at the minute I can only get 20 odd minutes out of them loft flying then they want to be down and when they are down they just chase each other round ive got them on gerry so I doubt its the feed thats too heavy ive started training there at 8 mile at the moment took them 40 minutes yesterday 28 minutes today any ideas would be appreciated cheers

Mark, another thing to remember is if they took 40 minutes and 28 minutes from 8 miles, they didn't stop at the pub for a pint, they've been ranging and learning. It's not a bad thing, it's a very good thing.
If they are still doing it next week, you might have to take steps, but I think you'll find they'll start beating you home after another couple of tosses.
Youngsters are funny. One year you get team that are like super stars, never put a foot wrong. Next year you get a bunch that have you tearing your hair out
Stay cool, don't make big sudden changes, it will all work out.

[Tony-P-]

Great question Mark and very interesting answers
I have heard different tips on training Y/Bs not that I'm any expert in any way, but do any of you flag your Y/Bs to keep them up round the loft
Can I also ask about feed and how much you would feed Y/Bs Morning and night or just once a day ?
Great tips again everyone

[chrisroscoe]

I never had a problem getting YBs to fly. As somebody has already said it's about routine. Pigeons can tell the time, they know when it's feeding time. I could easily get my birds flying up to 2 hours (running) and I knew within 10 mins what time they would return.
A tip for anybody wanting YBs to fly well. Is choose a feeding time and feed that time everyday. I normally fed my YBs at 4pm (just once a day) (You can choose anytime to suit yourself) When they are just learning to fly I'd have them out at 3.30 and as they got stronger, I'd let them out earlier and earlier. Always feeding at 4pm. The amount was adjusted by time flown.

Good advice mate when I first started it took me a while to learn this kind of stuff ha

[Murray]

Great question Mark and very interesting answers
I have heard different tips on training Y/Bs not that I'm any expert in any way, but do any of you flag your Y/Bs to keep them up round the loft
Can I also ask about feed and how much you would feed Y/Bs Morning and night or just once a day ?
Great tips again everyone

No no no
I would never ever use a flag or chase youngsters.
This is their formative time. I will stand and talk to a baby for as long as it takes to go in if it's had a wee scare. More than anything the loft is the place that they must always feel safe and never be chased away from.
Six months later I'm standing there telling them to "get in yer box" but when they are young it is so easy to turn them into a shy trapper.

I always feed twice a day. Two small feeds means they are always looking for their next feed and tend to pay attention and trap well, while still getting plenty to eat.

[Tony-P-]

Great question Mark and very interesting answers
I have heard different tips on training Y/Bs not that I'm any expert in any way, but do any of you flag your Y/Bs to keep them up round the loft
Can I also ask about feed and how much you would feed Y/Bs Morning and night or just once a day ?
Great tips again everyone

No no no
I would never ever use a flag or chase youngsters.
This is their formative time. I will stand and talk to a baby for as long as it takes to go in if it's had a wee scare. More than anything the loft is the place that they must always feel safe and never be chased away from.
Six months later I'm standing there telling them to "get in yer box" but when they are young it is so easy to turn them into a shy trapper.

I always feed twice a day. Two small feeds means they are always looking for their next feed and tend to pay attention and trap well, while still getting plenty to eat.

thanks Murray just a lot of people do Flag Y/bs to keep them flying, each to their own in this sport

[Murray]

You see, flagging young birds to keep them flying is like carrying a stick on a racehorse in a training gallop to make it go. Yes it will, and you can tell yourself it's going well. But it may not be. What you want is a horse finishing it's work so full if running that you struggle to stop it.
Same with pigeons. If you are having to chase them to keep them up, why? If they won't do more than stay barely airborne because they are made to, why would they win a race?
The problem you want is trying to get them down, not trying to keep them up.

[Diamond Dave]

I put a flag up to keep them off the garden otherwise I get an ear bashing off her in doors.

[Murray]

My boss is good like that. She never minds them poking around in the garden. Mind you it's a big garden they can't do much harm.

[Mark1021]

You see, flagging young birds to keep them flying is like carrying a stick on a racehorse in a training gallop to make it go. Yes it will, and you can tell yourself it's going well. But it may not be. What you want is a horse finishing it's work so full if running that you struggle to stop it.
Same with pigeons. If you are having to chase them to keep them up, why? If they won't do more than stay barely airborne because they are made to, why would they win a race?
The problem you want is trying to get them down, not trying to keep them up.

I let them do their own thing until it started to become a problem and all theyd do is come out the loft and pick round the garden I didnt try lift them up last year and it bit me in the arse because they just wanted to be chickens and never had any intentions of flying so ive had to try and get them to exercise this time round and if they wont fly round the loft theyll have to go up the road and maybe next year I'll try kings way of feeding and keep letting them out earlier and earlier based on what they are doing