My young birds are messing me about!!!

[jak2002003]

They are being really stubborn and refusing to go back into the loft after free flying. They prefer to spend the night on the house roof!

I have 4 that are doing this. I am used to the young birds taking a bit of time to train to trap, but this year they are worse than ever. I cut the feed right down, to just one time a day, and take the feeder away after they loose interest in the feeding frenzy. However, 2 of the young birds have been out 3 days now and have not had any food!!! I was concerned they were really starving, so I put the feeder on the floor outside the coop in full view of the birds, but they just looked at me like I was stupid and they flew off again!

Any tips to get them to behave? I am worried they will get hungry and join the feral flock that roosts in my neighbours roof. I don't want them flying away with the feral birds and going wild!!!

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

They are being really stubborn and refusing to go back into the loft after free flying. They prefer to spend the night on the house roof!

I have 4 that are doing this. I am used to the young birds taking a bit of time to train to trap, but this year they are worse than ever. I cut the feed right down, to just one time a day, and take the feeder away after they loose interest in the feeding frenzy. However, 2 of the young birds have been out 3 days now and have not had any food!!! I was concerned they were really starving, so I put the feeder on the floor outside the coop in full view of the birds, but they just looked at me like I was stupid and they flew off again!

Any tips to get them to behave? I am worried they will get hungry and join the feral flock that roosts in my neighbours roof. I don't want them flying away with the feral birds and going wild!!!

Sorry, what type of birds are they?

 

[CCUK]

They are being really stubborn and refusing to go back into the loft after free flying. They prefer to spend the night on the house roof!

I have 4 that are doing this. I am used to the young birds taking a bit of time to train to trap, but this year they are worse than ever. I cut the feed right down, to just one time a day, and take the feeder away after they loose interest in the feeding frenzy. However, 2 of the young birds have been out 3 days now and have not had any food!!! I was concerned they were really starving, so I put the feeder on the floor outside the coop in full view of the birds, but they just looked at me like I was stupid and they flew off again!

Any tips to get them to behave? I am worried they will get hungry and join the feral flock that roosts in my neighbours roof. I don't want them flying away with the feral birds and going wild!!!

I have had this same problem. When you train the youngsters do you put them in a cage attached to the outside of the loft? I do this and close the bobwires just before feeding. Then I do my whistle/call/shake the tin and they should all come through the bobs. I repeat everyday for about a week. Only do this when they're hungry. I also feed mine twice a day. Once first thing in the morning and then when I call them in after flying in the afternoon. I have had a couple of stubborn ones that are always late or delay their return. I used try and coax them in with shelled sunflower seeds but they figured this and got worse. I would say also that they are good training us to give them what they want before they return, so if I have any now that won't go straight in I will leave them. I leave the bobs open but when they figured that they're not getting what they want, they will go in because the feed I put out will quickly get eaten by the rest and they go without. If you have some that point blank refuse to go back in and are hanging out with the ferals, sorry to say, but cut your losses with them. Likely they will only return as and when and are probably eating and drinking with the ferals already. They WILL stress you out trying to get them to return. Breeding season is about here. Breed some more youngsters and work with them rather than trying to resettle some now semi feral pigeons. A long post so I hope this makes sense. I do hope you can coax these back in. And if they do return DON'T let them out for some time and go from there.

 

[backyard pigeons]

I don't want to sound rude,,, but,,, it isn't their fault. Pigeons by nature want to roost in the same spot every night. and due to the lack of Training, they can not find a way in. You have to train your young birds very well. Or you will lose them. All they want to do is get back to home, but they can't because they were never taught. Again, I'm not trying to sound rude, but, it is your fault.

I agree with CCUK on training metheds. You won't lose hardly any if you do that.

 

[jak2002003]

The birds are white homers.

I have kept them for many years and breed a few each year They are all born in my coop.

I find I don't have to train them because they quickly learn off their parents and the other pigeons. They leave the coop when they are able to fly on their own, they simply follow their parents out. At first they can't fly well as they are young, and so don't join the flock in the air, until they have built up their muscles and grown a bit in confidence. I like doing it this way so they gradually get to see what is outside their coop, the garden, etc.

I always expects a few 'naughty' ones. It's always the time they get their confidence and fly well. There is nothing to really tempt them back to the coop, except food. For example, they have not yet got a mate, or nest to look after in there.

But this time these 4 are having their rebellious teenage stage much longer than usual. I think it's to do with the feral flock next door, because this is the first year that flock had got quite large and they are flying around in circles a lot. I only can't understand how they are not hungry after 3 or 4 days with no feed, unless they are finding food somewhere close without me knowing (as they always seem to just be lazing about on the house roof).

I don't want to sound rude,,, but,,, it isn't their fault. Pigeons by nature want to roost in the same spot every night. and due to the lack of Training, they can not find a way in. You have to train your young birds very well. Or you will lose them. All they want to do is get back to home, but they can't because they were never taught. Again, I'm not trying to sound rude, but, it is your fault.

I agree with CCUK on training metheds. You won't lose hardly any if you do that.

They do know how to get into the coop (when they want to). They have used the bob trap door since the first day they left the coop several weeks ago. They have been trapping well up until last week, when they started refusing to come in. I 'trained' all my birds the same way, and they are very quick (just a few seconds) to go in through the bob trap door, when I make the feed call.

 

[backyard pigeons]

It to me sounds like you might have been feeding to much food to them, and they simply did not want to go in. They have now probably become more wild, and found a new food source. They have no need for you now.

Can you go get them at night on top of your roof? they can't see at all then, so they would be easy.

 

[jak2002003]

It to me sounds like you might have been feeding to much food to them, and they simply did not want to go in. They have now probably become more wild, and found a new food source. They have no need for you now.

Can you go get them at night on top of your roof? they can't see at all then, so they would be easy.

Yes, I think you are right about the feeding. How much feed do you recommend I give each bird? I currently started feeding once a day in the late afternoon when I call the birds back into the coop. I put the feeder down and let them eat till they are full and fly up to their perches, then I take the feed out (after about 10 minutes). The birds (not the young ones) do seem quite on the plump side.

There are only 2 refusing to come in now. I was able to use a net tied to a branch to catch them last night (as they were sleeping on a ledge on the wall of my house). Scared to let them back out now!!!

 

[backyard pigeons]

Yes, I think you are right about the feeding. How much feed do you recommend I give each bird? I currently started feeding once a day in the late afternoon when I call the birds back into the coop. I put the feeder down and let them eat till they are full and fly up to their perches, then I take the feed out (after about 10 minutes). The birds (not the young ones) do seem quite on the plump side.

There are only 2 refusing to come in now. I was able to use a net tied to a branch to catch them last night (as they were sleeping on a ledge on the wall of my house). Scared to let them back out now!!!

I'm glad you got some back! Good job!

I feed one normal sized can, (I can't think of the exact size) for 10 birds. Once a day. My breeders get all they can eat, but my flyers need to stay fit and hungry.

Here's a pic with a ping pong ball for camparison. This size of can.

I hope this helps.