catching birds in the loft

[aarongreen123]

what is the recomended method to catch birds in the loft as to minimize the stress on the birds. if i try to catch them by hand i end up raising holy hell.

[Grim]

I have a small blowgun the 8" length. I dab those mini darts with a mild sedative and aim for the neck right between the shoulders. It will slow them down and makes them much easier to catch. After about 10 minutes it wears off.

Seriously though there is no secret to it. I usually just nab them off the box perches and most won't try to flee. Maybe hand feeding or feeding them in their crate will make things easier since then you will just have to shut the door. Also no nets by hand is best just use common sense and don't break any limbs.

[Charis]

The best time is when it's dark. I have the same problem and I think I will have the ceiling dropped to make catching the birds easier.

[warriec]

2 ways you can do it.

if there is daylight and the birds can see you, u can use a large fish net, use one with a 1.5ft x 1.5ft mouth. remove the mesh and put a cloth so that the toe nails dont cling to.

otherwise wait for night fall and use a torch and catch them. pigeons ahev poor night vision.

[aarongreen123]

i was thinking more along the lines of catching them for trap training, or for training tosses, things that will happen regularly and during daylight hours. i didn't know if the net would be easier on them because it would make it quicker ( i think) or it would be more traumatic than me chasing them around. my loft is a 10x12 shed and i have the ceiling is dropped so i dont have trusses to worry about, but 10x12 is still a big area to chase birds around. maybe i'll just have to get better at it.

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by aarongreen123

i was thinking more along the lines of catching them for trap training, or for training tosses, things that will happen regularly and during daylight hours. i didn't know if the net would be easier on them because it would make it quicker ( i think) or it would be more traumatic than me chasing them around. my loft is a 10x12 shed and i have the ceiling is dropped so i dont have trusses to worry about, but 10x12 is still a big area to chase birds around. maybe i'll just have to get better at it.

I also have the same problem. A big loft is nice until you have to catch birds..........
If I need to catch them during the day for some reason, which believe me isn't often cause I hate doing it, I just deal with it. If you plan on training early in the morning, you're best bet is to go out after dark and catch them and let them spend the night in the baskets. They'll have to do this during racing anyway, so it get them used to being in the crates overnight.

[re lee]

The more you handle your birds, and the more time you spen in the loft with your birds The gentler they get. Now catching them. Its better to have a loft that the birds can not fly over your or much more then over your head. Then aproach them slow when in range reach out fast and catch the bird. BUT after your birds are more calm to you they kinda of sit there on the perch as you reach to get them. Handle your young birds often while they are still in the nest to teach them you mean no harm.

[Victor]

I have a small animal pet carrier that I hold up and command to them, "Cage!" and they fly in. I only put one at a time in and use this to transfer my 8 pigeons from the aviary to the coop. (and vice-versa)

My intentions are to connect the two together, but then I will miss the fun!

In the morning I feed them before I put them out in the aviary (if the weather is nice that is) and they know that they have a clean, freshly stocked coop when they go back in later in the day, so they are anxious to "go home". I do not feed them when they are in the aviary. Just clean water and their bath tubs. But they are fed before they go into their play mode.

Mr Lee is right, the more you handle your birds, the more comfortable they get around you.

Note: I just realized I posted in the homing section. Sorry...my pigeons are pets and not "homed" but this still works for me.

[Snowbird Sue]

Hi Victor, that is a pretty novel idea! Mine have their aviary attached to the loft, and I can handle the YB's, but sure not the breeders. They are still too wary yet. Don't know if they ever will be....

[ezemaxima]

My birds are pretty tame but there are times that they refuse to get caught and placed in the basket for a toss. Handle your birds more and try hand feeding them. You can also catch them before day break if you plan on taking them for a toss someplace.

[jbangelfish]

Bird nets usually tend to be softer and deeper than fishing nets but I actually use a fishing net to catch my pigeons. Mine is sort of oblong, alittle over a foot long, alittle less than a foot wide and has a short handle.

It is the easiest and least stressful way to do it. Once you get a knack for it, you will rarely miss. The less you chase them around, the better.

Catching by hand, you are much more likely to get a handful of feathers and no bird, causing stress to both of you.

If you have really tame birds, you should be able to just pick them up whenever you want. Most birds in a flock will not let you do this.

Bill

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by jbangelfish

Bird nets usually tend to be softer and deeper than fishing nets but I actually use a fishing net to catch my pigeons. Mine is sort of oblong, alittle over a foot long, alittle less than a foot wide and has a short handle.

It is the easiest and least stressful way to do it. Once you get a knack for it, you will rarely miss. The less you chase them around, the better.

Catching by hand, you are much more likely to get a handful of feathers and no bird, causing stress to both of you.

If you have really tame birds, you should be able to just pick them up whenever you want. Most birds in a flock will not let you do this.

Bill

do they sell nets just for pijn catching?

[jbangelfish]

They make all sizes of bird nets just like they make all sizes of fish nets.

The one I'm using (fish net) is alittle small and you need to have good aim. I need to get a bigger one but it is doing the job for now. Probably something in the 14 to 16 inch range would be perfect. The short handle just makes your aim better. A long handle is a bit awkward.

Bill

[TerriB]

Originally Posted by Lovebirds

...If you plan on training early in the morning, you're best bet is to go out after dark and catch them and let them spend the night in the baskets. They'll have to do this during racing anyway, so it get them used to being in the crates overnight.

Good point - for best results, you need your birds to practice everything they will experience during a race.