training young birds

[big_fish]

so I have had 6 young birds in my loft for going on 2 weeks they were in a crate for a week before they went into the loft. My question is should I be training them to trap yet? a fellow told me to put the birds in front of the trap door in a cage with the door open to the trap and let them trap at feeding time. also when they are ready to be free flown should I only fly 1 at a time or a couple at a time or all 6 at one time when they will fly?
Thanks

[cjuve]

I have never trained mine for the trap door, they always seem to manage to figure out how to use it. I have even found young ferrals in my coop from time to time. If you are racing them it may be a little more important.

[V-John]

so I have had 6 young birds in my loft for going on 2 weeks they were in a crate for a week before they went into the loft. My question is should I be training them to trap yet? a fellow told me to put the birds in front of the trap door in a cage with the door open to the trap and let them trap at feeding time. also when they are ready to be free flown should I only fly 1 at a time or a couple at a time or all 6 at one time when they will fly?
Thanks

I would use the "crate" in front of the bobs. It will help immensely and help the chances of those birds getting back in. Since you only have you only have six birds, Id maybe let them out in a couple groups of three. That way if a hawk scares them off you still have another group. Once both groups are up and circling then let them out in one group.

At least, thats what i would do

[ezzy333]

so I have had 6 young birds in my loft for going on 2 weeks they were in a crate for a week before they went into the loft. My question is should I be training them to trap yet? a fellow told me to put the birds in front of the trap door in a cage with the door open to the trap and let them trap at feeding time. also when they are ready to be free flown should I only fly 1 at a time or a couple at a time or all 6 at one time when they will fly?
Thanks

I would use the "crate" in front of the bobs. It will help immensely and help the chances of those birds getting back in. Since you only have you only have six birds, Id maybe let them out in a couple groups of three. That way if a hawk scares them off you still have another group. Once both groups are up and circling then let them out in one group.

At least, thats what i would do

Good advice

Ezzy

[big_fish]

Should i keep them in the loft a little longer or is2 weeks enough

[Hattrick]

2 weeks is good. I would let the bobs up so they can go in an out on there own. More than likely they will sit on coop for a few days, then the garage or house , then start flying around. Once start to fly out of site on there own i start using them and training at longer distances 1mile, then 5, then 10 all from the 4 compass points. Good luck

[DonF]

2 weeks is good. I would let the bobs up so they can go in an out on there own. More than likely they will sit on coop for a few days, then the garage or house , then start flying around. Once start to fly out of site on there own i start using them and training at longer distances 1mile, then 5, then 10 all from the 4 compass points. Good luck

This is pretty much what I do also. I tie up the bob's when they are flying and feeding good. They will venture out on the landing board and not fly for a while the start flying short flight's. When they no longer hang around a lot, I start taking them out. But after a day of short flight's I would drop one bob at a time until they got themselves back in. That is a used to thing. Last couple years I divided my loft in two. In one half I keep birds I'm flying in the other side breeder's and young birds. The flying side has aa trap to outside and the breeder side has a trap into a large flight pen, about 16'x20' with a net top on it. The cage on the re-entry door would do the same thing, just less room to fly around.

I've had a couple hawks and a owl get into my pens in the past, all the birds leave except the one being eaten. The birds hang around and look back inside from time to time and soon as I catch it, I remove the preiditor. Once the killer is cleaned out, the pigeon's have always gone back inside. Inside is where they eat and drink. This has only happened when I forgot to lower the bob's and drop the preditior door. I have, now and then, left the re-entry door open on purpose. Birds don't come in that day and want them in first thing in the morning I leave it open at night. Haven't had a killer get in doing that,,,,yet!

[Hattrick]

You will i do the exact same thing once you think ur good they get in and clean ya out. Mostly cats at night or coons