# I am the worlds worst pigeon trainer.....the worst



## ggoss1 (Mar 4, 2009)

So I have been trap training these birds since I HANDRAISED them and I used the shaking can and a dog whistle. Every morning I take all 5 squabs and put them in the outside cage you can see on the pic below. I open the trap doors and shake the can and blow the dumb whistle and pour food. So....fast forward to today where my wife release's them from the basket in my own backyard some 50 feet away.

I blow the whistle...I shake the can.....wife releases birds....

and the don't go straight to the trap....nope... they take off and tear around in the sky for 30 mins and land on my neighbors roof.

Now my only consolation here is as soon as they landed on my neighbors roof I used the whistle and they flew onto the loft roof.

BUT...I am training them to trap fast. Like a real trained bird. 

WHAT AM I MISSING!!!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can't tell you what you're doing wrong, sorry. But your loft is nice. Were they hungry enough?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ggoss1 said:


> So I have been trap training these birds since I HANDRAISED them and I used the shaking can and a dog whistle. Every morning I take all 5 squabs and put them in the outside cage you can see on the pic below. I open the trap doors and shake the can and blow the dumb whistle and pour food. So....fast forward to today where my wife release's them from the basket in my own backyard some 50 feet away.
> 
> I blow the whistle...I shake the can.....wife releases birds....
> 
> ...


your missing the fact they want to goof off and not train all the time....a bit of loft flying or some free days would do them good and they would enjoy it...the only way to get a reaction out of a pigeon is if they are hungry, it is a delicate balance. on the days you want some control they need to be not fed at all before you let them out, but it is hard not to want to stretch your wings for a bit before supper!


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## JohnG (Jul 14, 2009)

if you need help email me or call Phone 856 227 4196 email [email protected] or good to pigeon tv .com look at my video


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

What they did was normal.
You have to remember when you let them out its a new world to them.
Keep doing what you are doing and after they get over the fact of all the new things to see they will start to trap faster.
My birds went through the same thing the first time I let them out.
one even got hit by a car for wanting to see what the road was WAY TOO CLOSELY.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

Their just being babies...Just like children,once you let them out in the yard to play,they are not going to come inside,untill they are hungry or tired or it`s time for icecream !!!Alamo


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## Tennman1 (Mar 31, 2009)

I experience the same thing too. Like they said, I think it's just what happens unless there are some really tuff training regimen some folks put them through that makes them like robuts, I don't know.


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## della (Jan 29, 2009)

I like this thread...it is nice to compare notes and see that your own pigeons are quite normal. Mine do all of that too, and when I get the feeding balance just right and all the conditions are favourable, they do the right thing and I go to bed smiling to myself about my perfect pigeon day. It doesn't mean that they will do the right thing tomorrow though...


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

I agree with everyone else. What they did was very normal. There are a few fanciers out there that will tell you that the VERY FIRST time out, their birds listened to them and trapped like little soldiers and they do this every time they're out. 
One of two things is going on. Either the birds are WAY to hungry (IMO) or the fanciers are telling a big one...........LOL
When I first started, I would get SOO SOO mad because my birds didn't listen to me. After a while, I realized that if I wanted them to act like robots, then I was going to have to be VERY VERY strict in training and feeding. I don't have that in me. For the past 7 years, I've learned that once the REAL training (meaning at least 30 miles down the road) and the races start, they will come home and trap and not waste much time doing so.
They ARE birds......not machines and they will learn in time what they're supposed to do and they'll do it for the most part. You're always going to have one or two that are stubborn as a mule.......but the majority of your birds will get it right eventually.


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## ggoss1 (Mar 4, 2009)

Thanks for the comments everyone. It's nice to know that it's not my training. I do feed them in the morning but I don;t feed them in the evening till they come back in. I just get stressed when they land on my neighbors roofs. I don't want them to do that.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Your experience is normal. Just call them in right away once they land on your neighbor's roof. (Maybe your neighbor's roof is taller than yours). Or if they keep on doing it, then you would do drastic measure by scaring them up from your neighbor's.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ggoss1 said:


> Thanks for the comments everyone. It's nice to know that it's not my training. I do feed them in the morning but I don;t feed them in the evening till they come back in. I just get stressed when they land on my neighbors roofs. I don't want them to do that.


on days you want to control them better do a half feeding in the am, I bet they won't waste time coming for their supper!


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## Feather (Dec 8, 2005)

I like this thread. Now I am going to tell you a big secret that no-one knows. 

I never taught my birds anything. The truth is they taught me. Please don't let this get out.


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## ggoss1 (Mar 4, 2009)

Feather...your wonderwoman icon is classic!!!!

Well the good news is that the younger pigeons tend to stay on the loft roof...which in turn makes the older pigeons come back to the loft rather than my neighbors roof.

I am focusing on distance training now. I have all 5 of them up to a mile and they return within 15 mins. My goal is to have them to 50.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

You might also notice that a "bad" bird can teach the rests to do stupid stuff. It is good that the "good" bird you have is teaching the rest to go to your loft roof. These birds are group oriented.


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## theBrewMeister (Jun 30, 2009)

Mine love my neighbors roof becuz its sunnier than mine.


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