Advanced Imprinting
(Internet Published) Aug 2001
When my young pigeons are 4 weeks old they can pick up their own feed and
find the water supply in the young bird section. At this age, I reckon that
they should be isolated from their parents and placed upon a system of
training.
I have said with monotonous regularity that no sane man will attempt to
train more than just a few at a time. A kit of contest intended Tipplers
need only be 3. A kit of contest intended Rollers or Competition Tumblers
need not exceed 20. Obviously, 4 week old trainers cannot fly but I reckon
that they should be placed outside of the loft on a raised table or plank
about 15 feet from the front of the loft. Under constant watch and
protection these youngsters will imprint and become loft trained before they
can fly strongly. They learn to accept the pull towards the loft. The same
youngsters if placed on the actual loft top will not have the influence of
the "Pull" from a more remote position.
By the age of 5 1/2 weeks old any young Tippler, Roller or flying Tumbler
should be capable of strong flight. A lot of these are lost in their first
attempts to fly around the loft area. It is therefore logical to control
these youngsters and make sure that they don't do more than flutter about on
the loft tops and the raised platform 15 feet from the front of the loft.
Between 5 1/2 and 8 weeks old these here trainees are a menace to themselves
if they happen to get up in some kind of fright before then.
Now instead of just driving out these here trainees at 5 1/2 weeks old, I
take them to the end of the yard at a distance of about 40 feet and loose
them one at a time to fly to the loft top or the raised platform.
This trains them to respond to the magnetism of the loft, which they would
not learn of just allowed to squat on the loft top. At the age of 8 weeks
they are imprinted, if this caper is carried out every day (Time involved:
1/2 hour)
My next stage of to take my 6 foot bamboo cane and cause the trainees to fly
using a few established pigeons as droppers. On this system I do not loose
any trainees, due to this advanced imprinting. I allow that it takes time
and patience but these here elastic bands, gummed tapes or starvation
tactics I do condemn. A man has to beware of cats and hawks and such
handicapping simply may backfire.