# Steps to free fly



## Zippy (Nov 20, 2011)

Hi everyone,

I've wanted to fly some of of my portuguese tumblers for a while. Over the last two weeks I have them trap trained. They all drop through the bobs without hesitation at feeding time. If you look at this picture the birds will be flown from the center pen. There is a landing board outside the little square door (not there in this picture) and the trap goes in the window from the flypen and the birds drop right into the loft. I trained the birds by shooing them into the fly pen, putting the trap in the window then whistling them in at feeding time. The little square door has been closed for this part of the training. Tonight I opened the little door with the trap in the window but didn't whistle them in. They looked at the opening for a few minutes and then all dropped into the loft through the bobs. My question is how do I get them to leave the flypen? They seem content to go back inside and don't seem all that thrilled with going outside. Thanks of any advise.








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## beatlemike (Nov 28, 2009)

I don't know anything about tumblers but just wanted to comment on your loft. Its awesome!


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## Zippy (Nov 20, 2011)

Lol, thanks!


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

beatlemike said:


> I don't know anything about tumblers but just wanted to comment on your loft. Its awesome!


DITTO! You sure do have a purdy lofft.


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## Zippy (Nov 20, 2011)

Maybe that's why the birds refuse to leave it.


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## logangrmnr (Jul 14, 2010)

Zippy, they have to discover the out side. Next time you push them out keep your trap closed. Let them walk around for a couple of minutes then open your trap. You can increase the time they are out there every day before opening the bucks. An other was is to pack them all in a basket and get the food and water done. Now with the basket next to the trap let them out to drop in and eat. Do this a couple of times so they understand. The do it from the edge of the aviary. Then from different distances in the yard. You'll see that they will fly more and more for you. But if you want to fast track it put them out like usual then spook them off with a flag or bag at the end of a poll. They will shoot out and scatter everywhere. Then start calling then to come in. Do it this way and with in the week they should hit the skies for a fly the trap in no time. There are different ways to get the same thing done it's just what road you want to take and how long you are willing to wait.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. Nice looking loft. If you wish to try another way: to make them come out by themselves, keep the water and food away for a day or two. Get a small table or rug or something to put on the ground, put the water jug on it. When they come out to drink watch them to see if they are all drinking. Next time put seeds around the drinker: just 1/4 of the amount that is allowed per day. Very small seeds are the best for this training, but anything is fine. The second day, also keep the water and food out: just sprinkle a few seeds on the new area and wait for the birds to come out by themselves. Good birds will start to fly and do crazy things after they have eaten. If not, wait until the group has eaten all the seeds but do not offer water yet. When they start looking for water, is the time to scare them up using Logan's method or whatever works, but always the same thing and not your arms or hat or anything that is part of you. The fewer birds, the better in the beginning. They are not experienced yet, but if they are good, and the BOPs allow them they should prove themselves very quickly. The objective is to build a pattern: someone opening the door, the birds coming out to eat, getting airborne for some exercise, landing and trapping in, then getting fed and watered for the day and resting until next day or two. Do not let them fly long until all the birds you want to fly have learned the routine. The ones that get to fly, get fed, the rest just a little or none until they put an effort. All get watered once or twice after they land and taken away until next day. 
*I have zero experience with Portugese Tumblers but have plenty with other tumblers. *


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## Zippy (Nov 20, 2011)

Thanks for the advise guys and sorry for the late response. Here is what happened over the last 2 days that had me working, lol. The afternoon that I made this post I locked the birds in that outside pen and opened the little square door. I stood at a distance maybe 50feet and watched. One of the birds went through the door and hopped on the landing board outside the flypen. She walked around for a minute then flew off. She made 3 or four circles about 100 feet up and then landed on the roof of my house. Another bird came out on the board while she was flying but I suddenly realized I had to leave in an hour and I was concerned to have them outside without supervision. I then opened the window put in the trap and called them in. Everyone including the second bird on the board came in to eat. The little hen stayed on my roof. I called to her for the next hour but all she would do was take off fly at the coop but decide against it at the last minute and make some more lops before landing on the roof again. Since I had to leave I left the trap in the window and the little square door open hoping she would be in when I got back, unfortunately she wasn't and was nowhere to be seen. This morning when I got up she was on the roof again, she clearly knew where she lived but was unable to commit to coming down. I left the door open and the trap in the window all day and called to her both feedings but the most I got out of her was to walk down the roof onto my porch roof and occasional spin around the neighborhood. Tonight before I had to go out again I chased my young birds into the flypen next to the fliers pen and locked them out with the hopes that they would lure her down. When I got home I couldn't see her on the roof and hoped she had gone in. Last minute though I saw her up on a brace above my porch. With the sun setting I knew I would have a chance to catch her. In pitch black I crawled out a window onto the roof and with the hen silhouetted against the sky I grabbed her. 

Now that drama is over time to start from scratch I guess. Any step by step from day one to free flying without landing anywhere but the landing board advise? The advise you guys gave is great but I feel like I need to retrain from step one to avoid this again. I kinda remember seeing a post that was a really detailed fail safe method some where on this board, cant find it though. These are older birds not youngsters and to be honest they are not very tame.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. To Zippy: have you ever seen those tumblers in action as a group? 
I would not worry about the lone hen. If she wants to go, then take her away from the rest and hope for the best. Birds like that will only make things harder for a beginner. I am sorry that she does not wish to adapt to her new place. I have had those types where i promised to only keep them for one breeding season, then give them their freedom to wander the streets if they wished.


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## pigeonoak (Jan 1, 2010)

you have a really nice loft.


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## ptbreeder (Jun 12, 2008)

Zippy said:


> Maybe that's why the birds refuse to leave it.


 Thats a good one.


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## Daddycausingchaos (May 31, 2012)

Your birds know where they live but they don't know how to enter the fly pen. You need to teach them how to get to the landing board from outside the fly pen. Just crate them up, place their feeder on the floor of the fly pen and release one at a time from just outside of the door. Hold each one for a few seconds, so they can look around, then let it fly to the feeder. It should only take a few real eases each for them to understand. Next day, take a step or two back and release them. Do that for a few days, changing the angle and distance. After 3-4 days they will have it figured out. Good luck! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spcVOZMLwIs


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