Training.

[Peckedhen]

I've read the advice on Westy's thread re taking the birds out five miles.

 

I've let my two pigeons out today and they have not flown at all even though I have discouraged them from sitting on the roof. (I seperated them from my fantails thinking they were holding them back.) If they have not been ranging will they still find their way home from five miles?  I don't want to loose them!

 

 Also I find them very hard to catch, will chasing them round trying to get them cause them stress?  Is there an easy way of catching them? :-/ :-/

[Guest]

basically peckedhen the way to catch a pigeon is you need to be fast with them and it takes practice however it becomes really easy to catch them after you get used to it.

[Guest]

Hi, peckedhen. I suspect the reason your birds aren't flying is that they may be well into their moult - you can tell this if they look like rag-tags, feathers dropping off and feel a bit 'prickly' when you pick them up. If this is the case, you can forget about them flying just now, and forget the training too.

On 'catching' them, if you are chasing them about, you'll stress them and they'll be on their guard and ready for flight every time you move.

I agree with Carter about 'the art of catching' them. Have a look at cutting down the space they've got, so that when you stand in front of the perches, your body fills the space in front of them. And rather than turn into a goalkeeper, try to pick them up off the perch - no fast, sudden moves, walk slowly toward them and try to get them to retreat into the back of the perch. Then its one hand held palm up in front of the bird to stop it coming back out, and the other cupped under it, thumb over the back. Palm-up hand then cups round other side of bird, and thumb over the back.

Takes time, confidence and practice. You'll get there OK.  

[Peckedhen]

You've hit the nail right on the head.    Yes, they are moulting and yes, they are on their guard. It makes me sad that they would all fly to me and now, since I've been trying to catch them, they 'growl' when I go in the loft and seem really nervous.  I'll give it a break until they finish moulting - how long does the moult last? :-/

[Guest]

It'll be November time, earliest, before their moult is completed.

Don't worry, you had their confidence, so it should be quite easy and quick to win them over again.  

Get them used to you being around (again) and no threat to them. Work about and around them, totally ignoring them. Eventually they should come down and do the same to you!  

If you want to handle them, and get them used to you handling them, wait until around 'dark' when the light's almost gone. Pick one up, talk to it while you have a look at the wing etc. and put it back on the perch. Do the same with the other.

After a few days of this, their confidence will be back.

[Peckedhen]

Thanks Bruno, I'll do this.

[Peckedhen]

This isn't working! I can pick them off the perches at night and I think I'm holding them properly - hand under and thumb over holding the wings, legs backwards, my other hand supporting the front of the bird. :-/

 

They are terrified, 'growling' and struggling to get free. Would I be better using these two as breeders next spring and staerting afresh handling their offspring from a very young age?  These birds had never been handled before I got them but they were only 5-7 weeks old and I thought they would easily become tame. They are worse now than when I got them!

[Guest]

Hi Peckedhen. I think your confidence is beginning to slip.  

 

Firstly, I would advise you to use both hands to hold the bird. That way you'll have a secure but light grip on it with one hand 'cupped' over each wing, and your thumbs on the birds back. Remember that you and the bird are BOTH learning here.  

 

Don't be alarmed at the apparent wildness just now. I've had youngbirds recently that I thought would never calm down. There was a huge difference in them when they were paired up and had their own box, standing their ground (defending) and taking the hand off you whenever you (dared) go near.  ;D

[Peckedhen]

Hey, hope you're joking!  I don't want to end up with them being aggressive!!  They are on v perches at the mo. I'm getting the ply for the floor today so if there's some left I could make a box for them then maybe I can corner them better!  I'll give it a go with the way you say tonight when they are more dopey, I've no chance in the daytime! ;D

[Guest speckled]

Hi Peckedhen,im ny opion i would leave them to do there, on thing,let them build there confidence back,handle the birds as less as oposs,while there going though the moult ,as thay must feel so uncomfortable with all that handllng,anyway thay should be resting at night not being handled,how would ya feel yourself someone comming in ya room picking you up when ya asleep,then putting ya back down,as few choose words would be said ah.So if i was you sit with them in the garden, build there confidence up with there fav treat,mines with a peanut.dont force yousellf upon them, let them come to you.& when ya start breeding next year,play with the olden in the pan, that way the youngsters that there bring up will be used to the hand, so when ya come to handlling them next year ya wont have, a prob with the picking & handleing of ya birds,as thay will be used to it.Well it works for me.Thanks Speckled

[Peckedhen]

Yeah, they all hand fed and flew all over me when I had them loose on the garden. Now I've got them in the loft, and tried catching them, they've changed their minds about me!!

[Guest Doostalker]

Pecked hen, trying giving them a few titbits such as peanuts. Drop a few in their feed for a few days to get them used to them, then once they have try giving them to them by hand. My stock hens virtually take them out of my pockets! But beware, peanuts are very fattening for pigeons and no more than a couple a day. You could also try them with other titbits such as lettuce or even bread. Some birds really like bread.

[Guest]

Can't fault anything said in any the posts, Peckedhen, although the point of trying to handle them at dusk was that they would be less likely to take fright / flight than during the day, be less stressed, and help you both with your confidence.  

 

On your fear that they will turn 'aggressive' : I meant that rather than 'flight' they'll be more likely to stand their ground, something you can turn into a 'game' to your advantage.    Speckled is right about the chance to make friends with all the family at breeding time.

 

I can't help wondering WHY the birds are 'struggling' so much when being handled. It may be as Speckled says that they feel uncomfortable (moult) or resent the interference (perched-up). But I would expect that 'occasionally' not every time you picked them up.   ??)  

 

Did you always wear the same sort of clothes when you are around the birds? Any recent change there or since they went into the loft?  Are you wearing any of Nature's 'warning' colours like bright red or yellow?  :B

 

I think you may be getting a bus load of quizzical folks arriving soon to sort this mystery out!   ;D

 

 

[Peckedhen]

Well, I'm wearing similar clothing, no bright colours, no different perfume or anything and I always speak to them before I pick them up. I can only think it's because  I frightened them so much trying to catch them. :-/  

 

Oh, one other thought, I did do some hammering when I was trying to put up a mesh door, they didn't like that very much.  ???

[Guest speckled]

Peckedhen,dont think the hammering would bother them,its ya handling they ,dont like,so i would just leave them,untill there confidences gains,& dont worry when pairing comes, thay will wont to no ya then,as thay do sit thight on the nest,so ya bonding with them will, start again>Pateints is all it take ah.& us women have plenty,of that ah.Hope it helps Speckled.

[jimmy white]

agree with speckled , hammering will not upset them , in fact the opposite , if you just  mess around in the loft with slow and deliberate movements as much as you can , drop a tit bit now and again, even a little rice or seeds, and gradually build up their confidence  and yours  ,theyll eventualy come round, and when their breeding next year you will find theyll calm down  best of luck to you,  patience is a virtue, and im sorry to have to admit it , but woman are better than men for that,,,,,,ouch that hurt me to say that, ;D ;D ;D :)

[speedbird]

how about having a few box perches as you casn catch em easier & there a chance to try & tame em down this way also agree with earlier post by hand feeding i always do this with my ybs sitting with em ect they end up climbing all over you feel like bird man!!! this then helps them as old birds also i wouldnt train em now as bruno said probably in moult & cold damp weather is no good for training birds as autum is around the corner let em get through the moult try to tame em abit then start training again next year say around spring or maybe early march only on nice warmish days