Youngsters getting adventurous

[Andy]

I’ve been letting the youngsters come out over the last week in the evenings. They have been just coming out onto the drop board and having the odd little flit around. This evening they got a bit more adventurous.

They were getting more adventurous and flying up to the house and back down. Then a few of them took off. The old birds were out and some of them flew off as well. They were flying well with youngsters going always. Some came down, 3 landed on the old peoples flats near to us.

At one point I was 9 out somewhere. Tonight I am still 3 out but I’m sure they are close bye. I’m not to worried as I often have youngsters having a night out when first flying off the loft. They will be hungry in the morning and I will have the old birds out just after 7am so I’m sure they will appear.

[Murray]

It's always great to see the babies starting to get out!

I had one missing on Saturday night, a little one. I kept an eye out for it all day yesterday, and wasn't very hopeful
When I let them out it reappeared! So it cannot have been too far a way. Just got a little bit lost.

Your garden looks good, Andy.

[Andy]

All 3 are around here this morning sitting with the old birds. They haven’t come in yet but probably will by this evening.

[Buster121]

Good to see all back mate

[Andy]

All youngsters are accounted for tonight. One of Pete’s came in late yesterday evening, leaving the 3 out. Today the remaining 3 have all come in, including Pete’s other one. The other 2 were 2 of my own. They should be fine now. They obviously know where the loft is.

[mark1]

Andy, have you ever had any issue with cats or BOPs getting in with your open loft system? It's how I plan on flying.

[Andy]

Andy, have you ever had any issue with cats or BOPs getting in with your open loft system? It's how I plan on flying.

Hi Mark. No I haven’t. I have lost the odd one to the hawk, but I think that would happen anyway even if only let out twice a day as the hawks soon learn when they are out. I do have some that either sit in the top tree behind the loft or on the house roof beside the loft. These can make good lookouts and if anything seen they soon take off and will often chase the hawk once in the sky. I have got a few cats around here and one ginger one that does get onto the loft sometimes but although the birds fly off they soon come back down when the cat has gone. It does run pretty quick if it sees anyone. I have got wire netting up around the back of the loft and a cat scarer pointing over the top of the loft but this cat doesn’t take any notice of that. But fortunately I haven’t had either a BOP or cat in the loft.

[mark1]

Andy, have you ever had any issue with cats or BOPs getting in with your open loft system? It's how I plan on flying.

Hi Mark. No I haven’t. I have lost the odd one to the hawk, but I think that would happen anyway even if only let out twice a day as the hawks soon learn when they are out. I do have some that either sit in the top tree behind the loft or on the house roof beside the loft. These can make good lookouts and if anything seen they soon take off and will often chase the hawk once in the sky. I have got a few cats around here and one ginger one that does get onto the loft sometimes but although the birds fly off they soon come back down when the cat has gone. It does run pretty quick if it sees anyone. I have got wire netting up around the back of the loft and a cat scarer pointing over the top of the loft but this cat doesn’t take any notice of that. But fortunately I haven’t had either a BOP or cat in the loft.

Thanks Andy. Probably over thinking it as I've only seen one cat around here, but occasionally see the hen sparowhawk floating over the garden. Plenty time yet to think about it though.

[Trev]

I’ve been letting the youngsters come out over the last week in the evenings. They have been just coming out onto the drop board and having the odd little flit around. This evening they got a bit more adventurous.

1483032A-D6F7-4052-B3EF-F6D1887A259D.jpeg

2DBAA830-5B10-4928-8A8B-AEA51572B23F.jpeg

DB39B355-6B4A-4BAF-9750-927E1BD6882C.jpeg

7064A5EB-9FE2-4481-939F-F96ACB4C618D.jpeg

They were getting more adventurous and flying up to the house and back down. Then a few of them took off. The old birds were out and some of them flew off as well. They were flying well with youngsters going always. Some came down, 3 landed on the old peoples flats near to us.

C2B90FE8-E198-4741-85D6-E825B26E9F84.jpeg

At one point I was 9 out somewhere. Tonight I am still 3 out but I’m sure they are close bye. I’m not to worried as I often have youngsters having a night out when first flying off the loft. They will be hungry in the morning and I will have the old birds out just after 7am so I’m sure they will appear.

All looking good Andy, the birds look nice and relaxed. Pleased to hear all returned safely.

[Trev]

Andy, have you ever had any issue with cats or BOPs getting in with your open loft system? It's how I plan on flying.

Hi Mark. No I haven’t. I have lost the odd one to the hawk, but I think that would happen anyway even if only let out twice a day as the hawks soon learn when they are out. I do have some that either sit in the top tree behind the loft or on the house roof beside the loft. These can make good lookouts and if anything seen they soon take off and will often chase the hawk once in the sky. I have got a few cats around here and one ginger one that does get onto the loft sometimes but although the birds fly off they soon come back down when the cat has gone. It does run pretty quick if it sees anyone. I have got wire netting up around the back of the loft and a cat scarer pointing over the top of the loft but this cat doesn’t take any notice of that. But fortunately I haven’t had either a BOP or cat in the loft.

Thanks Andy. Probably over thinking it as I've only seen one cat around here, but occasionally see the hen sparowhawk floating over the garden. Plenty time yet to think about it though.

Hi Mark I am down on the South Coast in West Sussex and also have my birds on an open loft. I do have problems with the Sparrow hawk and do unfortunately lose birds to her most years. Because of this I don't breed before March so that she is on the nest and out of the way before I have babies out on the loft and at the end of September after racing is over the birds are separated and the loft shut up for the winter. During this period the birds are only exercised at weekends. Thankfully I don't seem to have many cats near me but did have a random visit from a stoat a couple of years ago that killed half a dozen birds I had in a small shed, this shed was shut up but had a small hole in the floor that it got in through, thankfully it hasn't been back as these things will find a way in if they really want to.
The one thing you should consider when making the decision to go on an open loft is how your neighbours might respond, my birds do tend to sit around my neighbours roof and will go down in their garden. Thankfully they don't have cats and more importantly don't mind the birds but some people can get quite unpleasant about the pigeons.
All the best mate.