Trapping from a race & Bad Traps

TheSaddler · April 25, 2006

At the start of the season it's all we ever talk about. Bad Traps...

My birds always land after no more than half a circle at the worst - but I have trouble getting them off the lofts tiled roof (apex). I have two lofts that face each other. I know this arrangement is far from ideal but I can't change this since the birds are still at my mom and dads house. And since I dont live their anymore it would be a bit rude to take up all their garden..

My question - What incentives do you use to get them to trap:-

I always have food waiting for the birds - even after locked out exercise

I show their mates on basketting night

I have a fantail - That I flap, and then throw into the pen to get them off the loft roof..

I always take my time clocking in..

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Also I never train my old birds - Do you think this is why they dont trap on race days? Because they only ever enter the loft in the week as a kit?

rockinrick · April 25, 2006

my first question is why do u not train ure old birds ?

my second question is do u feed before u let out ?

and my last question is do u let cocks n hens out together ?

mealybar · April 25, 2006

When you call them in after exercise, do you have a feed waiting for them? If not put a pinch of trapping seed in each box. With youngsters I put 1 part trapping mix to 1 part chopped peanuts and when I call them in I throw some of this in on the floor for them, they hear the noise of it hitting the floor and go bezerk trying to get in

TheSaddler · April 25, 2006

RockinRick,

my first question is why do u not train ure old birds ?

I'm at work for approx. 11hrs of the day and have a young family so dont have time... I give my old birds three training tosses per year (at the start).. The rest of fitness is acheived from flying around home - In my first race this year I was 4th, 7th and 12th Fed 1300 birds - Training does not get birds fit in my opinion.

my second question is do u feed before u let out ?

No I feed morning and night - After the birds are exercised.

and my last question is do u let cocks n hens out together

No - I race roundabout - They exercise seperately.

TheSaddler · April 25, 2006

mealy bar - peanuts are what everyone at the club says - I know the birds love them but i'm a bit dont like the effect they have on the birds (fat/weight) and the toxins.

I've used them in the past... but i'm reluctant to change the diet while the birds are flying well - I'm tempted to try it out on the hens though..

I also have sneaky and homoform waiting in the boxes every other day.

April 25, 2006

Wait for the weather to warm up and then the form will come, we are still in the winter, look to the hedgerows, the swallows have just arrived and the bees are not moving yet. If you race pigeons out of season then you have problems

TheSaddler · April 25, 2006

Frank - there in form (i've won three of the four races i've entered) but I missed topping the fed by 10 seconds last week. Two came together and the played up... I've seen other people get cocks to rocket through open doors - And I wanted to know how to acheive this? Is it motivation that does it?

jimmy white · April 25, 2006

from youngsters,,, i would never let them on the house roof,,a catapult with some chopped up potatoes, will ensure that, its all habit with pigeons, and the quicker they learn the good habits the better, congrats on your results saddler :)

April 25, 2006

Some flyers don't pay enough attention to their pigeons as young birds, they way you train or not train them will set their habits throughout their racing career.

GREENGRASS · April 25, 2006

SADDLER ONE TIP TO GET THE COCKS TO TRAP LIKE BULLETS IS TO TAKE THEM AWAY FOR A TOSS BUT BEFORE YOU BASKET THEM TURN THE NEST BOWL OVER AND LEAVE THEM FOR FIVE MINS, THEN BASKET THEM UP AND PLACE THEIR HENS INTO THE BOX WITH THE BOWL STILL UPTURNED. AFTER A COUPLE OF TOSSES THEY WILL KNOW THAT ONCE THE BOWL GETS UPTURNED AND THEY GO AWAY IN THE BASKET THE HEN WILL BE THERE WHEN THEY GET HOME. AS SOON AS THEY GET THE HANG OF THIS JUST WATCH THEM COME HOME AND TAKE THE BACK OF THE LOFT OFF.

Mike Lycett · April 25, 2006

Saddler - I appreciate what your saying, but I agree with Frank. Patience is a virtue. Don't try to "force" the issue - it'll only be detrimental.

Boing Boing

Mike

ps - what you think of chrissy nicol returning then?

TheSaddler · April 26, 2006

Mike,

Chris Nichol would do a good job again for walsall - He'd create a well oranised big side... I'd even beg Ray Graydon to return - We need to get rid of Bonser first though!

Megson would be my choice but i dont know if he'd come to bescot to manage glamour clashes against Accrington Stanley! At least he'd bring some discipline.

Regarding the cocks not trapping - I think i'm going to leave things as they are, hopefully as the yearlings get used of the widowhood system they'll start to get more motivation. Once where a few races in I'll try a few motivation tricks and see if that improves thing. (cheers for that one greengrass)

The posts regarding habits as young birds are valid - My yb's go through a trap (off a landing board - The widowers go through an open door - This may be the reason - I'll have to change the way I train my young birds. Cheers to everyone for there advice.

April 26, 2006

Saddler I normally have trapping problems, but my first two racers this year they have trapped like bullets and thats through a sputnik trap. The only thing ive changed is this year I put a bit of hemp in their boxes, when they come in moday, tuesday and wednesday, then thursday 2 peanuts (human consumption red skin peanuts and microwaved for 20 seconds). And B4 basketing I havent shown the hens yet, as I want to use this as an extra incentive later in the season.

AlanWilkins · April 26, 2006

Privacy covers i brought um this year n they cant see if the hens are there or not and it does sharpen um up

AlanWilkins · April 26, 2006

this it them

Diamond dave · April 26, 2006

Hiya Saddler,

You say that you race roundabout - Is it your hens that you have a problem with or the cocks?

Just another option is that they might be seeing too much of each other and they dont have that "desire" when returning from a race.

TheSaddler · April 26, 2006

Dave, Its mainly the cocks - The hens are very keen - Cause they are very jealous of the other hens. The best traps I have are when I have a cock and hen together - The hens go straight in and the cocks follow!