Table Training?

Hamster Girl · July 12, 2007

I suppose this has been asked before - though I didn't see any threads for it when I looked..

At the Fair which I showed my birds at, the judge would ask some of us to put our birds in cages on the table to have them pose and set themselves up.

Recently I saw a video of what I belive was a Turkish Tumbler, and it was free standing on a table, waltzing about as if it was the most unconcerning thing in the world. { http://youtube.com/watch?v=jQbntyHCXmM }

So my question I suppose would be how would I go about training my next set of birds to be as calm, cool and collected as that guy?

I understand that likely there is a lot of handling involved - but when I went about it with my last, WOE, he continuously attempted to fly away... Which goes unsaid that probably I wouldn't win ribbons if my bird took off. ^^;

Any hints as to what I should do, or even could do?

Thanks for any and all help.

Wiley · July 12, 2007

i believe its the tameness of the birds, if you dont spend alot of time and patience getting the birds used to you and other people no matter how hard you try you wont be able to achieve this i feel. I may be wrong but at shows like blackpool they normally have pouters on top of the pens and they will fight with you and coo about and show no fear

David Home · July 12, 2007

Simple. Keep them in a cage the same as the one described for about 4 weeks. Keep the bird that little bit hungry and you will have it as tame as you like.

Hamster Girl · July 12, 2007

Thanks, all of you for the suggestions.

I suppose the next step after getting the birds is to round up a group of people who will mill about while I hold them and put them through the paces required at the show. ^^

@Wiley: Pouters, though, aren't they normally supposed to strut about and puff up to show themselves off? I'm not sure if there is a difference between Pouters and Croppers, (I was told by the person I bought from, I had a Norwhich Cropper), but another person told me that that kin dof pigeon was one who would normally be semi-aggressive.

Clarkey1990 · July 12, 2007

The birds you see at shows are usually hand raired and then cage feed. So basically they think there human and are willing to act as if they were chasing in the loft.

Hamster Girl · July 12, 2007

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by

...chasing in the loft.

but the rest of it I understand. So, would the best time to begin rearing be the moment they are fledged out, or before that?

And, I'm sorry for th emultiple questions, what is cage feeding?

By the by, nice site. I enjoyed looking at it the other night. Very nice WOE's.

I enjoyed looking at the Blue(Black?) Check hen, and the Red (Ash? Dun?) Hen. Very pretty, and lovely "Bald markings."

Thank you!

Clarkey1990 · July 13, 2007

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by but the rest of it I understand. So, would the best time to begin rearing be the moment they are fledged out, or before that?
And, I'm sorry for th emultiple questions, what is cage feeding?

By the by, nice site. I enjoyed looking at it the other night. Very nice WOE's.
I enjoyed looking at the Blue(Black?) Check hen, and the Red (Ash? Dun?) Hen. Very pretty, and lovely "Bald markings."

Thank you!

Cage feeding is keeping it in a cage and only letting it see you. Eventually it will pair off to you and will be tame.

Chasing is dancing and cooing etc

westy · July 13, 2007

NICE WESTIES MATE

Hamster Girl · July 13, 2007

Cage feeding is keeping it in a cage and only letting it see you. Eventually it will pair off to you and will be tame.
Chasing is dancing and cooing etc

So I would essentially keep that one or two birds in my home, separate rooms etc.

Aww... My pigeon used to dance to me whenever I opened the backyards door - ah well.. Hopefully I can get some more soon.