breaking a hen

[lordcornwallis]

hi there ive got a hen bird i want to break next year .i dont think this pigeon has ever been outside a loft in her life as i got her from a man who kept his pigeons in averys . any suggestions?

[trevor]

dont let her out .    wont see her agan

[john niko]

i would soak her down for a few weeks let here walk around the garden then pair her up she just mite stay

[Peckedhen]

I would get her in a crate on the top of the loft for sveral days so she gets a good look all around. I'd teach her to trap by pushing her through three times then wait till she's paired and on eggs before you let her out. You may still loose her though, is it a risk you want  to take?  You are unlikely to be ever able to race her even if you manage to break her.

[Guest bigda]

a new hen you whant her to  breed from cut the flights half way across put her in the bottom

box and let her out now and again  if you have open doors or a side door  let her walk about the garden  when you are there late in the day at first  then chase her in the door way

let her rear a young bird or too and let the moult take her  to full wing then no probs then after

[Guest]

dont let her out .    wont see her agan

 

thats my experience with birds that have never been out

they get into the sky and keep going

 

dave

[fletch]

a new hen you whant her to  breed from cut the flights half way across put her in the bottom

box and let her out now and again  if you have open doors or a side door  let her walk about the garden  when you are there late in the day at first  then chase her in the door way

let her rear a young bird or too and let the moult take her  to full wing then no probs then after

 

would do this to it would proberbly the least risky thing to do and if you do loose her when she has moulted you have something out of her.

[jimmy white]

hi there ive got a hen bird i want to break next year .i dont think this pigeon has ever been outside a loft in her life as i got her from a man who kept his pigeons in averys . any suggestions?

 

a pigeon never being out in its life , usually dissapears, if let out,,,,,,[many will find this when they buy birds like this at blackpool]  if i were keen to break this bird i would be very carefull with it,, first it would need a" lookout" box [a wire cage on top of the loft] or preferably an aviary , where it can see its surrounds , even then, [whilst feeding youngsters or sitting ]still place it in   the look out box around the garden , or as many differnt places around the loft ,, when its  the birds time to sit or feed yb,s, let it fly into the aviary from the cage , as near to the aviary door as poss on its own,, then try it , but birds that have never seen the light of day [some studs etc] are most usualy lost when let out,, , but with a little patience and practice , you will get the odd one homing ,,,best of luck with your one

[Guest]

 

a pigeon never being out in its life , usually dissapears, if let out,,,,,,[many will find this when they buy birds like this at blackpool]  if i were keen to break this bird i would be very carefull with it,, first it would need a" lookout" box [a wire cage on top of the loft] or preferably an aviary , where it can see its surrounds , even then, [whilst feeding youngsters or sitting ]still place it in   the look out box around the garden , or as many differnt places around the loft ,, when its  the birds time to sit or feed yb,s, let it fly into the aviary from the cage , as near to the aviary door as poss on its own,, then try it , but birds that have never seen the light of day [some studs etc] are most usualy lost when let out,, , but with a little patience and practice , you will get the odd one homing ,,,best of luck with your one

 

just what ive found to my cost

would you try it out with a bird its paired to if the cocks broken to the loft

and what condition driving etc

 

dave

[Chairman]

The last hen i tried to break, I kept her in for a while bred 2 beautiful babies from her and then let her out, for the first time in 2 years

Wot happened next was predicted she got on the no.27 bus and went straight back to her mothers complaining about me.

thats gratitude for you! No seriously though I would not try to break the hen is she is of some value to you.

[Roland]

How far away is the old loft, and can you retrieve it easy.

Best and easiest way to break a bird is  - when appropiate - is never to feed and water in old loft. Take to new loft and light feed and water. Then soon when let out will go into new loft and out to feed. Soon new loft is old loft and when mated.... Robert's your mother's brother.

[hotrod]

i think the best way is /out in a viewer for a while then pair up sit a round of babies/lay next eggs prob when babies about 16 days old/then put her out with cock shes paired too on their own very early in morning then she,s got all day to get back to the nest if she goes astray .if she buggers off then switch the eggs and you have 2 rounds from her.

[Guest IB]

I don't think you'll have much bother with a hen. I'd go along with most things advised here, except cutting down the birds flights, or restricting its flying ability in any way - just too much out there now and the bird has to be able to get itself out of trouble.

 

One thing I would add is not to let the hen outside the loft with her cock before you try to break her. Chances are if you put her out after your other birds have had their fly and are about the loft and garden, she'll stay grounded anyway, and come back in with the others when you call them in. If she does go for a spin, leave the others out - they'll help bring her down.

[REDCHEQHEN]

dont let her out .    wont see her agan

 

I agree