Whose Training Who? Me or the Pigeons

[Sacred_Covenant]

I love my birds but I am ready to pull my hair out. lol I went back about 6 this evening and let them go out to fly. All but 2 went out. I thought sure that they would come back to their loft when I rang the bell and so close to their feeding time.

They would fly over the loft, back up to sit on our roof, then all over.

Around 9 pm we decided to come in because they were nowhere in sight.

I am not sure if they are ready for road training yet or not. When they get out, they fly for hours and away from their loft and come in and out of view, but how can I be sure that if I were to take them out 5 miles that they would come back?

Any ideas???????

[Sacred_Covenant]

I just went back to see how many of them came back to their loft and there is none of them there. I let them fly around 6 and it is almost 11 way past time for their feeding.

What am I doing wrong????????????

[Royaltypigeon]

Thats a good question Sacred. You are way too much like most of us. We get way too excited and try and do too much too soon. From what I understand from reading your prev. posts. you havn't had these birds even a momth yet and you have also moved them again just recently. They really need to get settled at one place , (meaning being comfortable in their surroundings and comfortable with you being around.) When I first got my birds I got 4 breeding pair. Within 2 months we moved and they had to get settled again. But anyway, it took me almost 6 months before they were comfortable enough to eat out of my hand.
The other thing is, ... How much are you feeding them? It doesn't sound like they are hungry. Training the only birds you have is also the hardest birds to train. If you are feeding more than one ounce per bird per day. You are feeding too much. At twice a day feeding, thats 1/2 oz. per bird per feeding time. That may seem like not much, but its a plenty. And then they will also be hungry again at the next feeding time. Don't forget, no matter what you are doing with these birds, you need to treat them like athletes. too much food and they get fat and lazy.
You will be fine and so will your birds. We all lose a few on occasion but we also learn from our mistakes.
Hang in there.
Gary

[upcd]

Like they need to stay for a couple months. And get use to the whislte and thier feeding time. Now trap training. You need cage attached to a cage with a trap in the middle. Birds on one side of the trap and food and water on the other side. This way the birds train themselves. I tend to be hands on. I catch all the birds that are trap training and put them throw until they get it. A 1 or 2 min a day per bird.

[Skyeking]

Bumping up for Loretta to review.

Treesa

[bartuska]

I am new at this too and have had days where they are out for almost 8 hours driving me crazy. I have come to realize it's the food. When they are hungry everything goes so much smoother. Really look close at how much you are feeding them--you aren't being mean by feeding them just enough and not allowing them to feeel overly full. ( I had a hard time in the beginning with this "keep them a little hungry" concept--especially before working them out.) Also, I agree with the others--take your time and keep them in the loft for a couple weeks--during this time you can also figure out how much they really need to eat and they will have more time to get used to you being around in the new location. Patience and preserverance pays off. Good luck!! Keep us informed!
Catherine

[Royaltypigeon]

Sacred, Keep us informed on how things are progressing. Its really a long haul. We help each other and thats how it works. We keep one another from making mistakes of the past and we all, {I do} learn something new in the process. It's always good to hear someone new sticking it out and making it work. Don't ever be embarrassed and don't ever give up.
Thats my story
Gary H.

[Sacred_Covenant]

Hi all. I am still hopeing to get my birds back to their loft. They have been out since I let them out on the 17th. I came home today and they were sitting in the front yard it seemed basking in the sun. I slowly tried to pulll up in the drive and blowed the horn. They moved ahead a little the first time and the next time, they flew and I have not seen them since. They are not roosting here anymore. They come back during the day but they do not want to be caught and they do not even come close to their loft

Would it be a good idea or a bad one to put some food out for them? They are coming in and eating it all but I do want to do what is best.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Loretta

[hillfamilyloft]

Treat them like your kids. Be consistent and firm. I am back into the sport from a 24 year absence, but I remember one thing. Most birds only need a good hard lesson, once. If my kids do not eat dinner, no pie, no exceptions. If the birds do not trap, no food no exceptions. I feed my birds twice a day, at the end of each training. I allow them a reasonable time to trap from when I call them in, about 5 minutes. If they do not trap by then, the other birds have eaten and gone to the drinker. I take the food away. When the straggler comes in, no food. They will not starve missing one feeding. The next time out, they will most likely be the first through the trap. They will probably be too hungry to want to fly. Let them in if they want to come back in. Feed them to your whistle or can shake, and they will be trappers for life. I shake the can and whistle everytime I feed every bird. The young in the nest know what this means by the time they are weaned. Birds will test you just like kids. I have used this method four times this YB season and it has worked every time. The first bird that tested me is the first bird into the loft everyday. Her counterparts in crime are second third and fourth.
Do not leave food in the dish after the birds have eaten. You are most likely overfeeding them. Do not feel sorry for them if they come in hungry from sitting on your loft for 8 hours. They are not home until they trap.
Randy

[hillfamilyloft]

You may also not have them trap trained correctly. I agree with the cage method on the landing board. If your trap is part of the aviary it makes it easier, ie: red rose loft. I put a cage on the landing board with the trap open on one end. I put the transition birds, about 30-40 days, in the cage at feeding time and call them in by whistling and shaking the feed can. They will find their way in. I do not have to push them in, I think this scares them and makes them gun shy of the trap. If they do not catch on quickly they do not get fed very much. They will learn fast. A flyer in our club opens his trap to his aviary, his birds come and go and get used to trapping this way. On days you can not fly because of weather, put your new and bad trappers in the cage and let them trap to your feed signal. It gives them practice. Trap design helps also. I use a hinged board like redroselofts has on their fly loft. Simple design. I have found that the birds just drop in without hesitation like when I used bobs years ago. Trained right they should trap through your front door if you want them to. www.redroselofts.com has some good ideas and links to others. Randy

[Sacred_Covenant]

Thank you for your input. I have tried so much with them, but they are so and I mean so hardheaded. One question I have is why are they going somewhere else to roost when they have the loft here. Why won't they just go back there? They will come in and sit either on the roof of our home or our yard but never near their loft. If I could only get them to the loft I am hopeful that they would go in. The 2 that did not fly are fast learning to trap for their food am I am grateful

The last time I caught the 3 that were out, I put out food in the shed where their loft used to be and when I saw them on the open door of the shed and got behind them with a net and they could only fly inward and I quickly shut the door trapping them inside and then I went in to get them and took them back to their loft.


This time that seems impossible. I know one thing, once I get them back this time. Absolutely none of them are going out until they are trap train and answer to meal call. This may have been a hard lesson for both me and them to learn but worth it.

Loretta

[hillfamilyloft]

It would probably be wise when you catch them to put them in a training cage on the landing board everytime you call them in for food for a few days. I think they are confused where their loft is. Keep them a bit hungry while you are settling them. It may take a week or so. If you can open your trap up you may let them come in and out into the training cage all day long. They should get used to their new home. Close the trap to in only when you call them in, so they trap. Hope this helpes. In the future have use a signal for your food. I let a newbee out today, he landed on my house. I shook the can, whistled and he came straight to the landing board. Most everything you read about settling them to the trap and loft is the same. Have a call, flag etc to signal food, keep them a bit hungry, and be consistent. All my birds came in right away today except one. She landed on a wire and sat there for about 3 minutes. When she came to my call, she only got a few peas to eat. Next time out she will be hungry and most likely trap first. If I give her more food, she wins. She traps I feed her, not I call her to food - she traps. Randy

[Sacred_Covenant]

Just checking in to say that we caught 9 of the doves today and we still have 7 more. 6 of the 7 still out were back on top of the roof and I hope the other one comes in soon also

Thanks again
Loretta