SPEEDBIRD

[Peckedhen]

Hi, I wonder if you would kind enough to tell me a bit more about getting the birds to basket themselves?  I have real problems catching the birds.....I've only three out at the moment so it's not so bad but, I can see, as I get more, this is going to become very time consuming, not to mention stressful!

 

I've got another six ready for weaning now and I want to get it right this time!

 

Thanks

Sue

[speedbird]

yeah prettey easy realy send yo a pvt mge will tell you all

[Peckedhen]

Thanks very much Speedbird. :K)

[Diamond dave]

Hi Pecked Hen, what sort of trapping arrangement have you got?

[Peckedhen]

A homemade sputnik.

[jimmy white]

i notice sue you have them tame outside the loft,but its worth getting them like that inside the loft,if you hand fed them from the start ,keep them slightly peckish,then begin to give them some conditioner [it takes longer to eat these smaller seeds]from your hand, even try and get them to feed of your hand from the perches,and start picking them up gently , and putting them back on their perch gently, youll soon get the hang of it and theyll start getting the hang of it, its worth spending time inside the loft, and keeping them tame, if you want to do the other way and get the birds to basket themselves, just get an old box similar to your crate and feed them in that every day ,let them go in the opening by themselves, then yo can do that with your new crate when you need to , you can learn ybs easy with a little hunger[dont mean starving them, but once they learn things as ybs ,they never forget, good luck to you anyway sue, youve done not bad up to now anyway :)

[Guest]

I'm going to be the nigger in the woodpile here, I never train my birds to basket themselves.  I like to handle them before basketing, then I can feel their weight and see if there's anything not just right, if they don't feel 100% they don't go in the basket

[Peckedhen]

Thanks Jimmy, that all makes a lot of sense. I don't know if it's too late with my first round but I'll certainly apply all this with the ones I'm about to wean.

 

Linda - I can see where you're coming from but, even if I handle the birds, I don't know what I'm feeling for and, they are getting very stressed with me trying to catch them!  I hadn't realised how much so, until a fancier called to stamp them for me and noted all the feathers on the loft floor and asked if it was me catching them that had pulled them out!! :B :B

[speedbird]

fair comment about catching them & to see if they feel ok,but if they are flying theres nothing wrong with em basketing them selfs saves time when you have over 40 to catch! they are very tame i can pick any of them up without chaseing this is done from young being in the nest then sitting with them from being weaned

[Guest shadow]

I'm going to be the nigger in the woodpile here, I never train my birds to basket themselves.  I like to handle them before basketing, then I can feel their weight and see if there's anything not just right, if they don't feel 100% they don't go in the basket

My sentiments exactly

 

 

[Diamond dave]

I have to disagree with some of you guys. I dont like to handle my pigeons.

It's probably cos I cant spend that much time with them and if I start to try to catch all hell breaks loose and I finish up scaring them. Though they are all tame enough as I hand feed them twice a day.

The reason I asked about your trapping arrangement Pecked Hen is I too trap via a sputnik and I use this to basket the young birds.

I made a simple stand to the height of the bottom of the sputnik gate where I place the basket with the flap open, up tight. I then open the sputnik gate so the birds can freely walk into the basket or crate.

A couple of weeks before I begin basket training I leave it there during the day. I also feed the birds some trapping mix in the basket and put a drinker on the side and take away the water fountain. They are soon happy in the basket without handling them at all. I sometimes usher the birds into the basket while I am scraping out.

On commencing training I gently and calmly usher the birds into the basket and shut the sputnik door behind them. At first some go in and out while you are ushering the others which is where alittle trapping mix helps to keep them in, but they very soon get to know what is expected and I dont usuall have any problems.

The trickiest bit is closing the basket flap because you have to pull it away from the sputnik to close it and I slide a thin bit of perspex along the side of the basket before moving it away.

I personally dont think pigeons like to be handled and while I dont disagree with

some of the other posts I can usually see whether a bird is fit and well just by looking.

I hope this helps Pecked Hen and good luck with your season.

[Diamond dave]

Pecked Hen,

I forgot to add that if you are scaring your birds by catching them for basketing, they are not going to be too keen to trap, when the loft should be thier sanctuary.

More so if they see you hanging around.

This way, any handling is done down the club and the loft stays as it should always be a safe and happy home for the birds.

Just my way.

 

Dave.

[Diamond dave]

Pecked Hen,

I forgot to add that if you are scaring your birds by catching them for basketing, they are not going to be too keen to trap, when the loft should be thier sanctuary.

More so if they see you hanging around.

This way, any handling is done down the club and the loft stays as it should always be a safe and happy home for the birds.

Just my way.

 

Dave.

[Peckedhen]

Thanks everyone for your views.

 

Diamond Dave, I have, today, got an aluminium training basket (thanks to Shadow) which will fit up against the sputnik, as you describe, so I can now basket  them without having to catch them, I can even close the flap from in the sputnik!. However, I'm going to take Jimmy's advice too re taming the birds.

 

Thanks again guys. :K)

[speedbird]

what i mentioned about starts right from the nest when ever i feed my old birds i blow a whistle the yb soon learn that this means food!! as from then when ever i blow the whistle they must be given food after weaning i feed them in the basket again blowing the whistle they soon learn to basket them selves when all in i close the flaps 40 birds in the basket in less than 30 seconds i make my birds tame from being in the nest then after weaning sit with them while feeding geting use to your hands & movements ect regarding the whistle this also works when birds are out flying couple of blows of the whistle & they are all in the loft

[Guest]

While you've solved the problem of basketing the birds, you've still to solve the basic problem.

 

Would agree with Jimmy that you want to get the birds used to you being around them and to trust you. I'm sure that will come with time.

[speedbird]

well that starts from being in the nest & then to follow it up after weaning

[Diamond dave]

Sue,

I suspect that the three that you have been "chasing around" the loft may give you some problems. Have to agree with the other posts that taming them down starts from the nest and is so important when weaning them. You do appear to have missed this opportunity and young birds are not very forgiving. You will have to work carefully to win back thier confidence.

But you sound like a lovely lady and I am sure that they will respond to a "womans

touch"

Let us know how they are doing.

[Peckedhen]

 

Well, fed them last night in the basket, threw in a few grains this morning and in they went!!   I've had them eating bits of peanuts from my hands this afternoon but they are very wary of me!

 

I think that I may have missed it with the next round too. :B  I've handled them gently from 10 days onwards, I offer them food from my hand and, although they see their parents taking it, they are still scared of me and try to get away.

 

I don't know about a woman's touch.......when my fancier friend comes in the loft it is totally different, he can put his hand into the nest and the birds just accept it - I get pecked and wing slapped!  He catches the birds straight off the perches - I think it's a knack (or his 60 years experience). I have a long, long way to go but, with all you guy's  help I'll get there!!