Indeks
sekedar info aja
The night loft
(I) The night loft should be situated as far as
possible from wires, trees, or other eminencies
which might injure the birds in flight.
(II) Shutters–Since night flying pigeons are trained
and fed at night they must be given an
opportunity to rest during the day. Doors and
windows of a night loft are equipped with
shutters that exclude light without cutting off
circulation of air.
(III) Lights–When birds are working at night the
interior of the loft is brightly Illuminated. A light is
placed above the trap in such a position that it
shines faintly on the lighting board. No lights
should be placed on the outside of the night loft.
(IV) Lighting board–The lighting.board is larger
than that normally used for day birds. It should
have a length of at least five feet, and extend out
from the loft at least three feet. Aluminum paint
should be used on the lighting board to make it
faintly luminous; the board should be repainted
frequently. This would not apply where lofts have
dormer type of trap.
(c) Stocking the night loft -Continued breeding of
night flying pigeons has not demonstrated that
the ability to home at night is transmitted to the
youngsters. In fact night birds, because of their
changed mode of living, are seldom in fit
condition for breeding, and will usually produce
youngsters that are below the desired physical
standard. For these reasons it is best to stock a
night loft with youngsters from proved day fliers.
(d) Preliminary training–Youngsters should be
placed in the night loft when 28 days old.
Breaking them to the loft and Trap should be
done in the day time. During the first two weeks
the schedule given for day birds is to be followed.
(e) Exercise–During the third week the single toss
day flights are to be continued as for day birds. In
addition, the youngsters should be exercised late
In the afternoon so that they learn to trap to the
loft at dusk. They should be fed at this time by
artificial light. Night birds should never be released
for exercise after dark. To drive birds from a
lighted loft out into the darkness is certain to
result in injuries and losses. The youngsters
continue their exercising progressively later, being
released late in the daylight but so that their flying
arrival is made in the dusk and darkness of night.
After the fifth week they should be ready for night
training.
(f) Preliminary night training -Even after years of
experience pigeons never lose their fear of flying
at night. This fact is most important in the training
of youngsters. The pigeoneer must bear in mind
that the bird he tosses into the dark is always
very frightened. If youngsters are given their first
night training tosses in the evening, after dark,
they are confused and frightened, and are likely to
fly blindly into wires and trees, or settle to the
ground and await daylight. Youngsters that settle
to the ground on the first few night flights will do
so on subsequent flights, and seldom develop
into reliable night fliers. Morning tosses in the
darkness just before dawn have proved by far
the most successful in the training of night fliers.
Youngsters tossed in the morning before dawn
are as confused and frightened as if tossed in the
evening; however, before they can stray very far
from the loft area, or attempt to settle to the
ground, it becomes light ;and they can easily find
their way to the loft. Continued tosses in the
morning before daylight will impress upon the
bird that, even though he is confused or lost, all
he need do is remain in the air until there is
sufficient light for him to find his way home.
Having thus overcome his initial fear his natural
instinct and intelligence will come to his aid, and
he will attempt to find his way hone through the
darkness. After a number of successful flights to
the loft in the darkness before dawn the pigeon
will have gained enough confidence to be safely
tossed in the evening, or at any time during the
night.
(g) Direction training–Night flying pigeons are
very directional, and car-not be successfully
flown from all directions. A bird flying well from
the south will usually not be reliable if released
from the north. A few pigeons will fly equally well
from all directions, but these must be considered
exceptions. For this reason night birds should be
trained only for the direction from which they will
be used. To attempt to deviate from this course
by more than 450 is certain to reduce greatly the
effectiveness of the pigeon. If it is expected that
night birds will be required for flights from two
directions, for example, from the south and from
the west, two teams of pigeons should be
trained, one for each direction.
(h) Altitude training–nights birds that fly close to
the ground upon release cannot be considered
reliable messengers even though they do return
to the loft in good time. Such birds are almost
certain to fly eventually into wires or trees and
injure themselves. Therefore a well-trained night
bird should immediately ascend to a high altitude
upon release, and make his flight to the loft at
such altitude. The following method has been
very successful in teaching young night birds to
ascend at once upon release, and to remain high
in the air. A field of-high corn, cane or reeds in
the vicinity of the loft is selected. On a clear,
moonlight night the youngsters are gently tossed
one at a time into the tops of this vegetation. The
pigeons will not be flying fast enough to injure
themselves. However, they become so
frightened in attempting to fly clear that upon
freeing themselves they rise straight into the air to
a high altitude. Two or three such tosses are
generally sufficient to teach youngsters to climb
rapidly to a great height immediately upon
release. This training is not necessary in the case
of youngsters which are exercised with old night
birds, and who learn to follow the latter to high
altitudes. Birds for this training must have
successfully completed the training indicated in (f)
above.
(I) Releasing -Night birds should always be
forcibly tossed into the air when released at night.
Night birds should never be group tossed, or
released from a basket. An open spot as far as
possible from wires, trees, and buildings should
be selected for the release of night birds. These
points should be stressed in the training of
handling and using personnel.
The night loft
(I) The night loft should be situated as far as
possible from wires, trees, or other eminencies
which might injure the birds in flight.
(II) Shutters–Since night flying pigeons are trained
and fed at night they must be given an
opportunity to rest during the day. Doors and
windows of a night loft are equipped with
shutters that exclude light without cutting off
circulation of air.
(III) Lights–When birds are working at night the
interior of the loft is brightly Illuminated. A light is
placed above the trap in such a position that it
shines faintly on the lighting board. No lights
should be placed on the outside of the night loft.
(IV) Lighting board–The lighting.board is larger
than that normally used for day birds. It should
have a length of at least five feet, and extend out
from the loft at least three feet. Aluminum paint
should be used on the lighting board to make it
faintly luminous; the board should be repainted
frequently. This would not apply where lofts have
dormer type of trap.
(c) Stocking the night loft -Continued breeding of
night flying pigeons has not demonstrated that
the ability to home at night is transmitted to the
youngsters. In fact night birds, because of their
changed mode of living, are seldom in fit
condition for breeding, and will usually produce
youngsters that are below the desired physical
standard. For these reasons it is best to stock a
night loft with youngsters from proved day fliers.
(d) Preliminary training–Youngsters should be
placed in the night loft when 28 days old.
Breaking them to the loft and Trap should be
done in the day time. During the first two weeks
the schedule given for day birds is to be followed.
(e) Exercise–During the third week the single toss
day flights are to be continued as for day birds. In
addition, the youngsters should be exercised late
In the afternoon so that they learn to trap to the
loft at dusk. They should be fed at this time by
artificial light. Night birds should never be released
for exercise after dark. To drive birds from a
lighted loft out into the darkness is certain to
result in injuries and losses. The youngsters
continue their exercising progressively later, being
released late in the daylight but so that their flying
arrival is made in the dusk and darkness of night.
After the fifth week they should be ready for night
training.
(f) Preliminary night training -Even after years of
experience pigeons never lose their fear of flying
at night. This fact is most important in the training
of youngsters. The pigeoneer must bear in mind
that the bird he tosses into the dark is always
very frightened. If youngsters are given their first
night training tosses in the evening, after dark,
they are confused and frightened, and are likely to
fly blindly into wires and trees, or settle to the
ground and await daylight. Youngsters that settle
to the ground on the first few night flights will do
so on subsequent flights, and seldom develop
into reliable night fliers. Morning tosses in the
darkness just before dawn have proved by far
the most successful in the training of night fliers.
Youngsters tossed in the morning before dawn
are as confused and frightened as if tossed in the
evening; however, before they can stray very far
from the loft area, or attempt to settle to the
ground, it becomes light ;and they can easily find
their way to the loft. Continued tosses in the
morning before daylight will impress upon the
bird that, even though he is confused or lost, all
he need do is remain in the air until there is
sufficient light for him to find his way home.
Having thus overcome his initial fear his natural
instinct and intelligence will come to his aid, and
he will attempt to find his way hone through the
darkness. After a number of successful flights to
the loft in the darkness before dawn the pigeon
will have gained enough confidence to be safely
tossed in the evening, or at any time during the
night.
(g) Direction training–Night flying pigeons are
very directional, and car-not be successfully
flown from all directions. A bird flying well from
the south will usually not be reliable if released
from the north. A few pigeons will fly equally well
from all directions, but these must be considered
exceptions. For this reason night birds should be
trained only for the direction from which they will
be used. To attempt to deviate from this course
by more than 450 is certain to reduce greatly the
effectiveness of the pigeon. If it is expected that
night birds will be required for flights from two
directions, for example, from the south and from
the west, two teams of pigeons should be
trained, one for each direction.
(h) Altitude training–nights birds that fly close to
the ground upon release cannot be considered
reliable messengers even though they do return
to the loft in good time. Such birds are almost
certain to fly eventually into wires or trees and
injure themselves. Therefore a well-trained night
bird should immediately ascend to a high altitude
upon release, and make his flight to the loft at
such altitude. The following method has been
very successful in teaching young night birds to
ascend at once upon release, and to remain high
in the air. A field of-high corn, cane or reeds in
the vicinity of the loft is selected. On a clear,
moonlight night the youngsters are gently tossed
one at a time into the tops of this vegetation. The
pigeons will not be flying fast enough to injure
themselves. However, they become so
frightened in attempting to fly clear that upon
freeing themselves they rise straight into the air to
a high altitude. Two or three such tosses are
generally sufficient to teach youngsters to climb
rapidly to a great height immediately upon
release. This training is not necessary in the case
of youngsters which are exercised with old night
birds, and who learn to follow the latter to high
altitudes. Birds for this training must have
successfully completed the training indicated in (f)
above.
(I) Releasing -Night birds should always be
forcibly tossed into the air when released at night.
Night birds should never be group tossed, or
released from a basket. An open spot as far as
possible from wires, trees, and buildings should
be selected for the release of night birds. These
points should be stressed in the training of
handling and using personnel.
