Curtains for lofts?

[FoxesFan4Ever]

Hi all,

 

Not sure if this is the right forum for this question but here goes.

I have been told that if I keep my loft dark the birds will be so much easier to basket and handle in general.

I am wondering, if I put some kind of blackout blind up when I go to work at night so it stays dark in there till I get home at 6 would that work?

I have heard about the darkness system for moulting but my birds are moulted out now so could I do them any damage by giving artificial conditions?

Sorry if this is 1 of my dumber questions but I really do need to calm my birds down for basketing. Otherwise they are all very healthy, just stressed !!

 

Thanks all

[LDS JOHNSON]

we used 2 always put boards up at the windows 2 basket never did ours any harm

[stew 75]

hi think who told you means if you darken down your loft about half a hour before you basket them it will be a lot better to catch them just let them settle for a dit

[Guest Owen]

I have stopped catching pigeons in the loft years ago. It scares the birds and causes a hell of a lot of dust which will make you very ill indeed.

I have made a trap door at the front of the loft where I can place a training crate. I scatter a small amount of seed into the crate as a means of encouragment for the birds to enter. When I want to train the birds I use a long handled scrapper to guide them into the crate. I do this quietly so they enter the crate at walking pace.

The benefits are really great. If I want to treat the birds I do it from the crate and loading up for training tosses takes only a couple of minutes of easy work. Best of all, there are no more injuries and panics. And my birds are very tame and easy to handle.

The only time I would darken the loft would be to operate the Darkness System. And that is a whole new ball game.

[Guest]

I have stopped catching pigeons in the loft years ago. It scares the birds and causes a hell of a lot of dust which will make you very ill indeed.

I have made a trap door at the front of the loft where I can place a training crate. I scatter a small amount of seed into the crate as a means of encouragment for the birds to enter. When I want to train the birds I use a long handled scrapper to guide them into the crate. I do this quietly so they enter the crate at walking pace.

The benefits are really great. If I want to treat the birds I do it from the crate and loading up for training tosses takes only a couple of minutes of easy work. Best of all, there are no more injuries and panics. And my birds are very tame and easy to handle.

The only time I would darken the loft would be to operate the Darkness System. And that is a whole new ball game.

can i ask Owen , did the birds take long to adapt to this ?? i can imagine mine taking up to the perches .       andy.

 

 

[Peckedhen]

I've hinged a sheet of hardboard above the window. It clips up to the roof out of the way  then, when I want to basket, I simply lower it, the loft is dark and I pick the birds from the perches. Basketing takes a minute.

[chrisbonnie]

a mate of mine has a trap door as well, put the basket on the outside, then just walks to the birds into it, ingenius!!!

[Guest]

both ways work well i pull the blinds and basket no probs

[ALF]

both ways work well i pull the blinds and basket no probs

 

I done much the same as Frank last season and i could basket nearly 50 y/b's in about 2 minutes

[edwards]

can i ask Owen , did the birds take long to adapt to this ?? i can imagine mine taking up to the perches .       andy.

 

its a great way to basket birds owen less sttress and easy on friday do it me self.

 

 

[Guest stb]

hope thats not a prediction then with all the bop probs,       Curtains for lofts?