Training A pakistani high flying pigeon for long flights in summer

This is the most detailed topic or discussion in pigeon fancy that how to train a high flyer pigeon for long flight? Today, I will try to discuss this topic in steps. Flow will go in below given steps.

1.     Breed identification and its behavior.

2.     Nesting Period

3.     Separation of young birds from parents.

4.     New loft training

5.     First time releasing of young bird

6.     Duration of initial training to pet them 

7.     Signs/behavior of becoming young bird your pet

8.     When to start proper training for long flight

Let us start one by one.

Breed Identification and its behavior

Before getting into training, fancier need to determine the strength of the breed he has. In my first blog topic where I wrote in details regarding the behaviors of different Pakistani strains.

Young birds training depends on breed.It is the only thing that can help you in predicting performance of young bird. For instance, every breed has its different behavior. I found that in pakistan high flying pigeons, strains from Qasoori like Qasoori kabooter, teddy, Dub waley, kamager etc are faster then sialkoti breeds like chohey, 35 waley, choohey or others. So before letting out your YBS for the first time it is important to its behavior. If it is from pure qasoori blood line it will not sit at the first time on you loft. It will definitely fly and than if it is very clever than it will come back home after a day or two. In contrast, Most of the sialkoti pigeons are calm and cool they sit at first and even if it could not manage to sit out of your loft it will come back home quicker than a qasoori blood line YBS.

Somehow, above points are related to producing a calm and cool breed. Which is totally a different topic we will discuss that somewhere else.

Nesting Period

Another detailed article about breeding technique to produce great has already posted here. Normally Ybs of pigeon take 4 weeks to start flying. In Nesting period take very good care of diet. use cereals(chickpea) that has more protein to grow the muscles and tissues of YBS. Use food that contain oil, like Sarso(wandering/mustard) and mix some starch containing foods like(wheat and pearl millet) make a mix. I make a mix with below ingredients.

1.     Chickpea                1Kg

2.     Wheat                     1Kg

3.     sorghum                1Kg

4.     Pearl Millet            1 Kg

5.     Mustard seeds        1/2Kg

6.     Corn                       1/2Kg

Weekly give them multi-vitamins to grow them perfectly.

Separation of young birds from parents.

 Let us just focus on training, in my opinion in initial training you should separate YBS from their parents after 4 weeks. In four weeks YBS start eating onits own, rarely it happens that YBS takes more than 4 weeks. After separation put them in your flying loft and judge that YBS very carefully if it is picking the food itself. If it is not(that some clever Pakistan high flyers do) than put it back to the breeding loft for have some food and take it back to your flying scoop.

New loft training

If you have top loft or a wire mesh where birds can see in every direction. If your loft is close to any direction it might create confusion in recognizing the loft. If you do not have good facility of loft than open them from their cage/loft. Must use clip on the wing feathers in order to prevent him from unnecessary fly. Just keep them open for few hours and remember when you open them do not give them any food just keep them on there own. Always set food timings which is ideals in evening or at 3-4 p.m. At feeding time, do not put complete food in front of them, just put few and ask pigeons to come to you for eat. In this way pigeon not only see every where but it also get aware of its fancier.

Repeat this procedure to days, and when you start realizing that now pigeon is following your instructions open its wings. Clever YBS max takes 5 days to get trained of the basic training.

First time releasing of young bird

After your basic training when you open its wings, do not let them fly or try to fly him. I use a technique to soak the bird in the water for few seconds. It makes him heavy due to water in the feathers and he stays without flying and if a good bread stays for an hour or two with open wings. It never forget the place.

Duration of initial training to pet them 

After opening the wings let them walk on their own. Do not try to make them fly and let them fly whenever they want. After 3 to four days, when you feel that now YBS is following your instructions and coming at home itself. Start Expert training which is to make them fly at your mood.

Signs/behavior of becoming young bird your pet

To notice behavior of the YBS that it has become pet or not? It is very easy, just open them on your routine timing and let it fly. Just notice weather it is flying over your loft or you feel it is skipping the main radius of loft. If it is loosing the radius, than show him your landing pigeons to make him land as soon as possible.  IF new Ybs is flying in the circle, then he is absolutely safe. Then just judge him when he is about to land. Pet Ybs should not try to land anywhere else other than your loft. If it do even for one time do not make them fly next time at your mood. Just make him sit on the loft in order to get landing idea itself. After coming back to home pigeon should follow your complete instruction. E.g when you ask for food he comes, when you open the loft he immediately go inside. After reviewing these signs start expert training for long duration fly.

When to start proper training for long flight

After setting up your new bird at your loft, start fly them and note where is he landing? If he is coming straight to the loft and you see that he is recognizing his loft radius than start proper training.

At the day of first training change the pigeon feed timings, Try to set diet time in the evening between 3-4 pm. Always feed them once in a day and place water twice a days. After drinking water take out the pod. Do not keep water in the loft whole day,

For long flight training, Always start flying pigeons at 10 to 12 in the morning. The reason behind is that pigeon start controlling himself against hot weather and if he flys 4 to 5 hours then it also learn how to sustain in the evening. When pigeon start making timings and increase the time of its flight than start reducing the time of letting out your pigeons. Mean if he increases one hour in the evening drop one hour in the morning. mean start letting pigeons at 9 instead of 10. Repeat this training till you get on right releasing time which is 7 in the morning. 

When pigeon start decreasing the time, start special feed-ups to give them correct strength. In this topic I am not going into FOOD details as it is completely different topic, which I will write soon....

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