UkPigeonRacing

Hi all. Had the YBs out 4 times now and, fingers crossed, so far so good. One thing that has struck in is some of the birds have been bombing around then landing in trees. I’m quite lucky in that I’ve got no buildings or houses near my loft, but there are a load of trees.

Is this common that the youngsters land in them? I wondered if the local wood pigeon and stock dove population that my birds watch all around them from their settling pen has given them the notion that it’s the done thing?

Second question, anyone know of a good tennis ball cannon!

Some of my youngsters used to but they soon get out of it, no idea as to cannon

PeteDerby wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 10:33 pm Hi all. Had the YBs out 4 times now and, fingers crossed, so far so good. One thing that has struck in is some of the birds have been bombing around then landing in trees. I’m quite lucky in that I’ve got no buildings or houses near my loft, but there are a load of trees.

Is this common that the youngsters land in them? I wondered if the local wood pigeon and stock dove population that my birds watch all around them from their settling pen has given them the notion that it’s the done thing?

Second question, anyone know of a good tennis ball cannon!

You don’t want that Pete be a disaster over time
Are they trees in your garden ?
Seen tin cans on string put in trees
Or a long pole or fishing rod with bags on the end
You need to break it now mate any that don’t learn that’s not allowed you don’t want as others will follow
My ybs get 10 to 14 days to play about once there big enough to fly then no playing or sat on the loft sky or in

NeilA wrote: ↑Wed Apr 02, 2025 7:18 am

PeteDerby wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 10:33 pm Hi all. Had the YBs out 4 times now and, fingers crossed, so far so good. One thing that has struck in is some of the birds have been bombing around then landing in trees. I’m quite lucky in that I’ve got no buildings or houses near my loft, but there are a load of trees.

Is this common that the youngsters land in them? I wondered if the local wood pigeon and stock dove population that my birds watch all around them from their settling pen has given them the notion that it’s the done thing?

Second question, anyone know of a good tennis ball cannon!

You don’t want that Pete be a disaster over time
Are they trees in your garden ?
Seen tin cans on string put in trees
Or a long pole or fishing rod with bags on the end
You need to break it now mate any that don’t learn that’s not allowed you don’t want as others will follow
My ybs get 10 to 14 days to play about once there big enough to fly then no playing or sat on the loft sky or in

They’re massive trees Neil, hence the tennis ball cannon. I used to use a catapult with crab apples when I was a kid to keep them off house roofs. I’ll keep discouraging it, but my arm isn’t as good as it used to be so throwing that high isn’t really an option!

That’s a hard one Pete
I wish I new a answer it’s definitely going to be a issue

I wrote some posts on my thread "Life in St Arnaud" a while ago.
I had youngsters refusing to come in when called, sitting in trees
It was my fault. I had let them get out of control. They would never be allowed to behave like that back in Bendigo.
Now, the young stars are flown twice a day. They get half of their ration when they come in after the morning fly.
When they fly in the afternoon they get the other half of their daily feed when they come when called. By the next morning, they are hungry and trap quickly again.
The pigeons are getting plenty to eat. As they should. But they are getting it in two halves, so they are looking for the next meal and listening to me when i call them in.
It is never the pigeon's fault.

Pete
If you feed handful to 6 or 7 morning and ounce at night but include 40/50 percent barley
They should fly well in the morning and trap well to your call as Murray says

Are you feeding a bit heavy or lots of peas in your mix as that will stop them wanting to get up and fly

PeteDerby wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 10:33 pm Hi all. Had the YBs out 4 times now and, fingers crossed, so far so good. One thing that has struck in is some of the birds have been bombing around then landing in trees. I’m quite lucky in that I’ve got no buildings or houses near my loft, but there are a load of trees.

Is this common that the youngsters land in them? I wondered if the local wood pigeon and stock dove population that my birds watch all around them from their settling pen has given them the notion that it’s the done thing?

Second question, anyone know of a good tennis ball cannon!

Are you taking about ybs not packing yet? If so they will probably stop once they are packing. Mine used to drop on the surrounding houses when first going out, sometimes just landing then striking off again. The odd one used to sit a bit longer. Within a week they stopped doing it as they got stronger. Once packing they never did it.

NeilA wrote: ↑Wed Apr 02, 2025 11:20 am Pete
If you feed handful to 6 or 7 morning and ounce at night but include 40/50 percent barley
They should fly well in the morning and trap well to your call as Murray says

Are you feeding a bit heavy or lots of peas in your mix as that will stop them wanting to get up and fly

Depurative once a day - 15 mins then taken away. 90% of them trap on the whistle - the 10% are proving a little tricky.

I like the thought of splitting the feed. Giving them less time on the hopper then returning later. I think feed is the key I haven’t quite got right yet.

king wrote: ↑Wed Apr 02, 2025 4:05 pm

PeteDerby wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 10:33 pm Hi all. Had the YBs out 4 times now and, fingers crossed, so far so good. One thing that has struck in is some of the birds have been bombing around then landing in trees. I’m quite lucky in that I’ve got no buildings or houses near my loft, but there are a load of trees.

Is this common that the youngsters land in them? I wondered if the local wood pigeon and stock dove population that my birds watch all around them from their settling pen has given them the notion that it’s the done thing?

Second question, anyone know of a good tennis ball cannon!

Are you taking about ybs not packing yet? If so they will probably stop once they are packing. Mine used to drop on the surrounding houses when first going out, sometimes just landing then striking off again. The odd one used to sit a bit longer. Within a week they stopped doing it as they got stronger. Once packing they never did it.

Deffo not packing king. Doing that going bonkers thing mostly and all over the shop!