kev124 Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Can anyone please give me some advice on getting my young birds in, they have been out for two nights but always returning to a neighbours roof. The loft is placed in a mature garden with the rear roof visable when approached over the neighbors garden. I have 10 birds with 3 taking to flight and seem to be struggling to return, whilst the other 7 seem to just hang around the loft and trees. I have pictures available but cannot attach as Im at work and do not have the software here to reduce the image size. Thanks Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev124 Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 The birds circle the garden and fly over but will not come down. Last night they must have circled 20 times between 6 and 730 pm, slowing down as they passed overhead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okitsme Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 There must be something scaring them when they are in the loft. A cat or something. I am sure when they are really hungry they will come in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul10121968 Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 youngbirds require a lot of patience.when i let mine out for the first time,they just wandered about on the top of the loft and the roof of the house.they suddenly took to the air and were everywhere.they started to drift in as the sun was going down but i still had three spend the night on the tiles.that went on for about 3 days,but now they are coming in when i want them to.try feeding them as soon as they come in after exercising,that way any that stay out go hungry they,ll soon get the message.but i wouldnt worry to much at this stage as long as they stay near the loft,they will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev124 Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 When I see them circling Ive let the other 7 birds out which hang around the loft which dont appear to be scared of the area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev124 Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Thanks Paul, it reads as though your birds returned each day as the sun went down. My birds have stayed out for 2 consecutive days without returning to the loft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john@formula 1 lofts Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Kev sounds as if something is wrong which is upsetting the birds. Did you train them un anyway before letting them out. i.e did you get them used to being called for food did you let them see outside the loft Aviery or by placing them in a basket in the garden so they can see loft and trap. did you place them through the trap a few times to return to food as there reward. were they hunger when you let them out? I find the above helps a lot for settling y/b's i also like them to be hunger but not starving when you let them out as if they are to hunger they seem more flighty and nervous. hope this helps a little even if it is to late for these ones John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peckedhen Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 There are a lot of trees around Kevs loft. Could this be the problem? Why are these awol birds not joining the others when he puts them out? :-/ These are my YBs and I dont want him to loose them..... Any more suggestions how to get them back in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LnK Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Thanks Paul, it reads as though your birds returned each day as the sun went down. My birds have stayed out for 2 consecutive days without returning to the loft Hi Kev, I don't mean to patronise,but I'm a novice just starting out this year, I didn't let my birds out till they were dropping from there perches with me whistling and shaking the food tin. I let them out knowing that if I shook the tin and whistled they'd be back no problem, in the first few weeks of leeting them out I over fed them once and they wouldn't come back for anything, so I kept them lean until I started doing training flight with them. Now they come in at the shake of a tin even if they've ben fed, takes them a few minutes more but it works. Could it be that they are fat, have you been putting food out for them? For a bird to spend three nights on the tiles and not be hungry is puzzling. Hope this helps, LNK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 How long have you had these birds, if you havent had them long you may have let them out to early and they dont know where the loft is, this sounds silly but i have seen it time and time again bring in new birds let them out straight away, and never seen again. if this is the case you will need for them to notice the other 7 birds just tottering around, what i would do is leave the other birds to go hungry and let 6 of them out when the other 3 birds are around and the other 1 hold it and throw it towards the other 6 to try and get the attention of the others also keep make the other 6 flutter around as young birds are like sheep they just tend to follow each other and if they see the others fluttering around they may come down.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev124 Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Thanks for all the advice. All the birds have been let out for 7 days previous to the three going awol and all trapping 30 to 45 minutes after being released. all birds stayed around and on top of the loft previously. all birds have been fed once a day, the food being placed in the loft after the birds have been released as to get them to get to know that they have to trap to eat and a tin rattled at this time. The 7 remaining birds still trap after 30 to 45 mins but do not leave the close proximity of the loft. I think the birds know where the loft is as they circle and fly over the garden and fly out of sight for upto an hour always returning. On returning home tonight the birds are sat on the next door neighbours roof so they must have a good idea where to go. I have chopped down another tree(much to my wifes dismay) hoping that this will help the birds locate the loft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 it seems to me that the birds are finding food some were else, possibly a wheat field or a field of some kind or may have found a bird table with food on as after 3 days you would think that they would be starving and looking for food, i think you must keep trying to get the other birds to notice the others on your loft and attract them back. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev124 Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Images of position of loft and opening for leaving and returning to the loft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Is this the first time these birds have been flying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev124 Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 yes, its the first time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev124 Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 exit and landing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev124 Posted April 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I have put an empty feeder on top of the loft also this evening to try and temt them, Do you think this is a good idea or not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fletch Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 sent you a pm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peckedhen Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 I think that they cant see the loft for the branches so they probably wont see the feeder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wattle Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 to many trees around the loft, the birds are afraid to land amoung the trees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 any birds not only pigeons tend to stay in the light, thats probably why they are not entering your loft during the evening, is it darker in the loft than it is outside, if so, try to use large torches to light the loft interior and exterior. but dont shine the lights directly at the birds kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Owen Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 Now that I have seen your pictures I can see why the birds are nervious. Trees like that could harbour Sparrow Hawks and your birds will instictively know it. I can not see that there is much that you can do. It is just a question of time and hunger. In time they will get hungry enough to make the effort. The worst thing you can do is to panic. Just take your time, go through your routine with the other birds, let the wanderers see you and it should end well. It is important that you don't grab at them or stare at them. If you do either of these things, you really will mess things up. There is one thing you can do which will help in the future, bearing in mind that you go to work each day. Make a trap for pigeons. Make a wooden frame about three feet square and two feet high, and cover it with netting or twilweld. Build bob wires into one end spaced apart at just bigger than a pigeon's head. 35mm. Bait it with corn and put it on the roof of your loft. That way the birds will get trapped and be there for you when you return. Pigeons have brilliant eyesight and they will be able to see the corn fro quite a distance away. It will work a lot better than you asking your wife to help. I use a trap like that to catch strays that hang about here, distracting my widowhood cocks. Even the flighty ones get caught in my trap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest marksimpson Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 i would be tempted to get chain saw out and cut me some trees down lol yours in sport mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldguy Posted April 23, 2009 Report Share Posted April 23, 2009 spend a little time with a few nails and bits of timber after you have watched this video http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oloAgfzhsmM&feature=related kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev124 Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 A quick update. last night I had a fourth bird join the three awol birds flying around the garden, and at 730 they disapeared for the night returning at 6am this morning. After watching the link that oldguy sent me I came home from work and quickly put together a trap (picture below) and placed three birds and some food in there. Tonight the 4 awol birds have shown a lot of interest in the birds hovering above but not quite landing on the flat roof of the garage, but interested enough to stay on the neighbours roof after dark and not disapearing. I shall be putting the trap with some birds back on the garage roof first thing in the morning and hopefully with a full day to pluck up the courage the awol birds will land on the flat garage roof and trap for food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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