taming y.bs

[simon9]

i got my 1st pair of y.bs on monday there also my 1st pigeons.im trying hard to tame the birds but they still seem quite wary and shy.am i expecting to much to soon?any tips would be great.cheers

[Peckedhen]

Move slowly and carefully around - no sudden movements.  As soon as you are sure they are eating well, get them to feed from your hand.  I found it hard not to go soft and give them food in the trough when they wouldn't come to me but, if you persist they will soon fly to you as you go in the loft.  As you give the food whistle or make whatever noise you are going to make when you feed so that they are learning that the noise means food and then they will be easier to trap train.

[simon9]

they seem ok feeding just not so sure taking off me.how often would you handle them?

[Guest bigda]

if  you just got them they will be fretting at the moment,  get your self some peanuts and  take  4 and  half them  put in a dish every day for a week till they get to like them dont give them any more  then dont  give,  daily   only every  second day  then  offer  them from your hand till they take them  dont give them ,them  till the take from your hand if the dont come then they dont get, they will soon work it out  

[Peckedhen]

Well now, that depends upon how you have to catch them....if they have a box and they back up in it so that you can pick them out without chasing them I think several times a day.  On the other hand, if you have to chase them around the loft to catch them, then I think that frequent handling will be too stressful for them.   :-/  

 

Hang around, there will be more experienced members who will be able to give you some ideas, I'm sure.

[grizzal]

get a small stool and sit in theloftwith them.

put food in your hand and as mentioned talk and whisle to them

they will know its feeding time,before long they will be flying onto

your lap  and very tame

[Guest]

get a small stool and sit in theloftwith them.

put food in your hand and as mentioned talk and whisle to them

they will know its feeding time,before long they will be flying onto

your lap  and very tame

yep well said no penuts

 

 

[grizzal]

yep well said no penuts

 

 

and peanuts ;D ;D ;D

[Guest Owen]

I suffer with alergy so I have set my place up so that I do not handle the birds in the loft. I run the birds into a crate fixed to the outside of the loft. I can pick them up from the crate and there is no flapping or panic at all. The big bonus is that the birds trust me because they know that I will not be grabbing them. There are two important things to bear in mind. Do not look directly at the birds. Very few birds or animals like our eyes on them. Move deliberately and keep to a routine.

If you are knew to pigeons it would be natural for you to want to show your mates. That's good because you are introducing others to the sport. But, a pigeon loft is no place for strangers. Show them, but don't have them stamping about inside the loft talking in loud voices. The birds will hate that and, not only will they become wild but they will be less likely to race home. It may be a good idea to make friends with an experienced local Fancier and copy the way he sets about things.

Best of luck for the future.

Owen

[thunderboult]

i got my 1st pair of y.bs on monday there also my 1st pigeons.im trying hard to tame the birds but they still seem quite wary and shy.am i expecting to much to soon?any tips would be great.cheers

 

hi, the first year i started i was sitting with them for hours,talking to them,whistling when they had food.  i also used to keep some redband in my pocket and they soon remember this. i even had a guy(like guy fawkes type of guy) sitting in a chair in the loft all the time and a radio playing all day. when i used to leave the shed i use to put some red band on the guy so they'd be all over it.  they got so tame they be looking in your pocket for seeds themselves.  all the best.

[mark croker]

the stool in the loft and the radio all day are methods i use, only use the radio if the loft is seperate from the old birds in the future, and dont use peanuts  

[thunderboult]

i don't use peanuts either, maybe had something to do with the kuyper bros film i saw when they said peanuts are for monkeys.

[jimmy white]

i beleive ,,contrary to most that by just touching them gently after a week old , then letting them stand on your hand stroking the hard bone under the eye, with the tip of your finger, youll  be amazed how they love this and in fact would sit on your hand forever , then as they get older the more you gently handle them the better , if the parents will feed from your hand in the box, youll find b4 long the wee ones following suit,, but new yb,s to the loft need gentle coaxing by feeding them on the floor with a little seed and maple , just letting it slip through your fingers , but keeping your hand there, it wont be long b4 they will be picking from your hand , onve they are picking from your hand try  and lift one by putting your hand under its feet , just a few inches above the floor , then as more do this lift your hand higher, it wont be long b4 they will all fly on to your hands and have confidence in you,, the bit about touching them in the nest and standing them on your hand def works ,,as yb,s reared , say at he back of a board ,never seeing you, will often be nervous birds all their life,, better to learn them young, like most things

[Guest]

i found that if you are having probs. catching them rather than chaseing them up and down the place get youself a blind/curtain and darken the loft then just go and pick them up very handy for basketing night for young and old

[Guest IB]

I think the loft design helps. When I was a teenager I was told "the birds fly outside the loft, not inside it - inside they walk" None of my birds sit above my eye level, and my sections are short headroom, small and narrow, so basically when I'm in front of the bird, it has nowhere to go.

 

Deep box perches (10") are messy, but they are brill for 'catching' birds, because the bird will retreat to the back of the box on your approach . Nowadays I pick the bird up rather than catch it - be it box perch, bar perch, nest box, or floor no-matter, they are used to me amongst them.

 

With new pigeons, its seeing you often, hearing your voice, seeing how the other birds act around about you, feeling secure and knowing they have absolutely nothing to fear from you. When I was younger, I was never away from handling my new youngsters, opening wings, play fighting - getting them to stand their ground and either peck or slap you with their wing, calling them down to the feeder etc.

 

There's a lot of learning on both sides, but it will come in time, as will your confidence.

 

 

[blaz]

this is with peanuts

[Guest Paulo]

Talk to them nice and maybe play a bit music around the loft no sudden movements and be gentle and handle them often and every day