RolyPoly
8 posts
Nov 20, 2004
5:13 PM
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We built a small cage to sit on the shelf in front of the trap door, so the pigeons can go into it from the coop and look around at the sky and their location. How do you train them to push the metal rods of the trap to get back into the coop? And when do you take the step of removing the cage and letting them fly, hoping they will return? Thanks, Phil n Debbie
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Mongrel lofts
18 posts
Nov 20, 2004
6:37 PM
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Just put the birds in the small cage outside hungry.. Push them through the bobs a few times and then put them back in the cage out side the trap.. Sprinkle some small seed in the cage, push the birds through again. a few times of getting food, once they go through the traps and they will be trained.. Mongrel Lofts
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JoeM
7 posts
Nov 21, 2004
2:06 AM
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You can also tie up the rods so the bird can first learn to go through the hole without obstruction. When they are going in allright you lower 1 rod a day down until all rods are down. This way they gradually get the idea.
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Rick Mee
13 posts
Nov 21, 2004
6:47 AM
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I keep the rods up for a few days until I know all of the youngsters are eating. This gives them a chance to get out in to the training cage if they so desire. Once they are filling their crops and I notice most if not all of them sitting out in the training cage throughout the day, I start feeding them just once per day, always whistling while they are being fed. Once they are at the stage where I am only feeding them once per day, I lock them out in the training cage while I am at work with the trap door that covers the traps closed. When I return, I open the little door that allows them to trap through the bobs, and wait until they are all through. Once they are all through, I start to whistle to them, then feed them. Within a few days of this, they are trained to the whistle, which makes training that much easier once they are allowed their freedom. From the day they are put in the kit box, to the day they are released for the first time, is usually no more than 7-10 days. Also, once they are allowed their liberty, do not place feed in the kit box to where individuals reentering can feed INDIVIDUALLY. Wait until all the youngsters have reentered the loft, then feed them. If this is several hours later, or you are only able to feed them after you get home from work in the evening, feed them accordingly so you can get their attention, and try getting them all to trap together the next morning. If you have incorporated the whistle, then getting them to trap the first time out should be no problem. Remember to not feed them the day before you plan on letting them out for the first time.
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JUrbon
30 posts
Nov 21, 2004
9:15 AM
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I do pretty much the same as Rick does except that I built my loft were the center bob can be removed and I leave it off for a couple days and I always put the young on the roof when I feed and let them come down in to feed. My homing pen raps up and goes 3 feet back on the roof so by placing them on the roof it shows them how to come down to the landing board and then with the center bob out they barely rub the other bobs. I do this until they are all trapping together then I install the center bob and by this point they rarely even notice it.I do not feed the day befor liberation and I do not scare them up. I allow them to come out on their own and play around on the roofs for a couple days and by then they are usually starting to make short flights around the yard. Good luck and enjoy, Joe Urbon
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RolyPoly
9 posts
Nov 21, 2004
3:09 PM
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Thanks everyone, your methods will help since we are so new to this.
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