# Learning to trap train



## white wings (Jun 19, 2012)

Hi everyone, 
I am new to this site, and new to training Homers. I have 27 birds that I purchased. They have been here one month. I let them out for the past two days. before their morning feeding, they have learned the feed call. They can't find their trap door. I had to open the main big door to get them all back in. How do I teach them to land on the landing board and drop into the trap? 
Thanks for any help !!!


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

In my lofts I have it set up so that the front of the aviary comes down to form the landing board, and the trap is the entrance from the aviary to the loft, so when they go in the aviary they are training themselves to trap in the building. This is known as 'California Style' system I believe. 

If you aren't going to use this type of a system, then the birds need to be in a settling cage in front of the trap so that they learn where it is and how to use it. If you let the birds out to fly before they have ever been through the trap then you made a pretty big mistake. Good luck.


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## Granny Smith (Jul 16, 2011)

Most folks use a settling cage. It is a cage that you usually have to make to temporarily be placed on your landing board and provides access to your traps. You place at least some of your birds in the cage, let them sit in there for a while, then you feed call them in. At least a few will figure out how to go through the traps and then the others will follow. After a few days of doing this, they will figure how to use the traps.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I would not let them out again untill they are shown or taught the trap door they learn by habit too so you opening the door for them..then they will get used to that and you don't want that... a picture of you're loft with the trap doors may help. I use the settling cage method. the landing board is the roof of the aviaries below..the trap doors are on top and a settling cage is put infront of the trap door.. you put the birds in the settling cage before feeding time. for say 15 or 20 mins..set the traps and then call them in to eat... you may have to go outside and gently put a stick in to poke to coax them in a few times.. when they come in from the settling cage without much hesitation..then you know they know how to use it. to let them out..open the trap doors and let them go out themselves without the settling cage infront of the trap... the first say 5 times out I usually do it in the evening so they are ready to come in because it is going to get dark soon, and their hungry.


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## cbx1013 (Aug 12, 2009)

You are awfully lucky to have gotten your birds back.

Here's a bad picture of a bird in a settling cage... the cage is sitting on the landing board to my small coop. The bird can see its surroundings, and the only open side is facing the bobs of the trapdoor. The bird has to go through the bobs to eat. Put a couple of birds in the settling trap each time you feed, and they will all learn to go through the bobs eventually.










Here's a better picture of the settling cage, sitting on the trap access door.










A close-up of how I have it rigged to stay in place, in the event of a hawk hitting it... A few bungies makes it sit tight to the loft front. Over time, the hinge holding the supporting board underneath the trap door has bent. I'll replace it one of these days with something sturdier.










To train the birds, I put them in the settling cage and drop the bobs. The feeder goes down in the aviary and I shake the food can. With a few birds in the aviary eating away, it doesn't take the settling cage birds long to force their way through the bobs to get their share of the food. A few repetitions of this is usually all it takes.


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## white wings (Jun 19, 2012)

*trap door*

Thanks to everyone, I've done the create on the landing board for the last 2 days. Soon as they heard the feed can, seen other birds eating..everyone hopped right in. through the trap door. It was a beautiful sight. My next batch of babies will be here today. How long should they stay in.. before I create train them to the trap door? They are 6 weeks old.
I have 27 birds fully going through the trap now. these birds are 6 months old.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

white wings said:


> Thanks to everyone, I've done the create on the landing board for the last 2 days. Soon as they heard the feed can, seen other birds eating..everyone hopped right in. through the trap door. It was a beautiful sight. My next batch of babies will be here today. How long should they stay in.. before I create train them to the trap door? They are 6 weeks old.
> I have 27 birds fully going through the trap now. these birds are 6 months old.


The new birds can have a few days to settle in..but still call them to eat even if they are not in the settling cage from the minute they get there..give them a few days..then put them in the settling cage and call them in. then the same thing..when they come in to eat without hesitation or not too much hesitation.. they can go out with the rest..which will make this bunch easier as they have the others to follow as well.


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## cbx1013 (Aug 12, 2009)

Here's a better picture of my current set-up in my bigger loft. I deleted the old pictures in the post above, as they were confusing.

Here's the loft itself:










When it's time to feed, I go in the loft, and shoo the birds out into the aviary through the access door.










Then, I close the access door, and put down the food. When I shake the food can, the birds that want to eat have no choice but to come through the bobs to get into the loft.










When I "settle" young birds, I just close off the aviary to the other birds, and put the YB's in the aviary. The other birds can see them, and get used to them. I do this for 2 or 3 days, and then I just put them in the loft. I've never had one attacked, as the other birds have had a chance to "get to know them" through the screen.

Within a couple of days doing the feeding-time ritual, the YB's are going through the bobs like old pro's... They watch all the other birds go out, and use the bobs coming in, and they figure it out really quickly.

cbx


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## white wings (Jun 19, 2012)

*Thanks to Everyone*

thank you all so much. I now have birds trapping every time. The pic's really helped. My next batch of birds will arrive this week. Getting ready to build my next loft. I love these birds. Again, everyone on this site saved my birds. Thank You !!!


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## BetaPigeon (Mar 17, 2010)

*yello*



cbx1013 said:


> Here's a better picture of my current set-up in my bigger loft. I deleted the old pictures in the post above, as they were confusing.
> 
> Here's the loft itself:
> 
> ...


Hi CBX 

are you wanting to turn loose of that yellow in the 2nd picture heading out the trap?


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## cbx1013 (Aug 12, 2009)

BetaPigeon said:


> Hi CBX
> 
> are you wanting to turn loose of that yellow in the 2nd picture heading out the trap?


Do you mean you are interested in that bird? My birds aren't really pedigreed racers. That strain came from some birds gifted to me that had (I was told) some homer, roller, feral blood mixed in.

If you're somewhat local to me, I'd be happy to give you the bird if you need it. I just keep the birds for fun and recreational flying.


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## GrLkLoft (Apr 30, 2012)

CBX1013, I like your loft!


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## billgarb (Aug 26, 2011)

I have always left my birds out the same way I want them to return. Make sure they are hungry. They will get the idea. Be patient.


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## cbx1013 (Aug 12, 2009)

GrLkLoft said:


> CBX1013, I like your loft!


Thank you. Lots of good ideas and threads in the "Loft" section on this site. Most of my ideas and designs came from other peoples ideas posted there.


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## BetaPigeon (Mar 17, 2010)

*yellow*



cbx1013 said:


> Do you mean you are interested in that bird? My birds aren't really pedigreed racers. That strain came from some birds gifted to me that had (I was told) some homer, roller, feral blood mixed in.
> 
> If you're somewhat local to me, I'd be happy to give you the bird if you need it. I just keep the birds for fun and recreational flying.


I see you are from SE Wisconsin, I am in near the Dells. I have a picture of a yellow hen that I have been looking for a mate. I mated her up to a yellow bar and got 2 mostly yellow yb.


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