B.j.'s Bird Training

[Bird Junky 0]

B.J's Bird Training.

The method of training birds I have practised over the past 50yrs

is to teach without fear or conflict. I found it no more difficult to

train, from one to six birds at the same time.

Some of these well tried methods used by many professional's, are

not very popular with the general public. Who sometimes have a

tendency to put human feelings, needs & wants onto their pet birds.

My one & only golden rule is to invite, not demand or command a

bird to do anything without offering a small reward.

This includes putting my hand into their cage or personal space.

If any bird shows a dislike of being, picked up, stroked, or squeezed,

I don't do it, humans forget, in the birds eyes you are a slightly

better looking equivalent of King Kong.

With my own bred birds, as they already know & trust me as their

favourite uncle, are quite happy to eat from my hands.

I always clip their wings as soon as they leave the nest, if I'm selling

them as pre trained birds. You can charge a far higher price for

trained birds. Have I already mentioned that???

I have also trained birds of all ages belonging to various clients,

friends etc. & I treat them the same as the birds in stage one.

PREPARATION for stage 1.

Shop, breeder bought & older birds. I get the cage ready for the

new arrivals. When training more than one bird. I move one of

the upper perches much closer to the bars so that all the birds

can reach any food I'm offering them through the bars at the same

time.

Bought & older birds, are without a known history, I ignore what

I'm told about them being friendly etc. It's probably not true.

When buying a bird I spend as long as I can watching the birds.

Most birds are chosen for their colour. The ones I would be

looking for are the inquisitive ones who are interested in what's

going on around them.

Never take pity on the shy one sitting all alone. He could be sick.

Having made your choice, ask is there anyone available to clip their

wings. If not & you don't know a friend who can, have a trip to the

local avian vet. Buy several Millet sprays, as well as all the usual

stuff you need.

Wing clipping is highly recommended for training purposes. It makes

things far easier for the trainer, novice or old hand.

STAGE 1, Getting to know me.

I put the new arrivals in their cage with, seed, grit, water,iodine block

& cuttle bone on a table, leave them to settle down.

Before I cover them for the night, I remove all food from the cage.

I soak a millet spray or two overnight in water, enough for a days

feed. It's more enjoyable if only marginally more nutritious.

From now on I only feed by hand through the bars.

Early next morning, I offer the millet spray from outside the cage

through the bars.

With several birds in one cage, I hold the spray horizontal to the bars

so all the birds can eat at the same time.

Reluctant birds will follow the example of the brave.

I hold food up to the bars every time I think the birds might be hungry.

I include fruit/veg, & soaked millet spray, but no loose seed, as yet.

If I were working or otherwise engaged during the day.

I would feed by hand before going out & leave the birds with enough

food in their cage till I returned.

On my return I remove all the food from the cage & continue the hand

feed training during the evening.

Once all the birds are happily feeding from my fingers, I continue this

feeding for the rest of the day. I'm now ready to go to stage two.

PREPARATION for stage 2.

When working inside the cage I use a hanky fixed to the bar above the

door with clothes pegs to act as a safety curtain to prevent escapes.

To feed the birds I hold a spoonful of loose seed flat on the palm of

my hand & a small piece of millet spray held by the thumb so I don't

drop it.

STAGE 2 feeding by hand & step up.

Opening the curtained cage door I put my food filled hand inside.

Talking softly, if no bird approaches & eats after a few minutes, I

withdraw & try again 30min later. I repeat every 30min until they eat.

Hunger will make them brave eventually. I keep filling my hand until

they've all been fed.

If for any reason you feel, this is not working. Return to feeding

through the bars for another day or two.

When I have them happily feeding from my hand I offer them all kinds

of food. Seed, soaked & sprouted, fruit/veg, eggfood etc.

Between meals I offer small titbits to individual birds.

This will help me sort out the birds, the fearless & quick to learn from

the slower ones, if any.

I would hide a small treat under my thumb that I could reveal to show

them, that a hand that looks empty is still worth investigating.

When they perch on my fingers I would take this opportunity to gently

stroke their toes with my thumb, occasionally pressing lightly so they get

used to it.

This will come in handy at a later date, to keep a bird on my finger should

it try to fly off at an inappropriate moment.

When I'm 100% happy, they have completed step 2 to my satisfaction.

I return any moved perches back in their original position, & go to stage 3.

Take your time it may take a week to get to this stage.

PREPARATION for stage 3 out time.

As yet no bird has left the cage.

I prepare by bird proofing the room, I dispensed with the hanky & I've

knocked together a perch on wood blocks, raised a few inches off the

table top. I use it for, "Out Time". As I long ago found that birds should

be discouraged from perching anywhere except on the cloth covered table

or your hands. So every, stranger, friend, family members or pets don't

have to worry about where the birds are.

This is also to prevent damage/soiling of property & any danger to the

birds themselves.

Before the birds are hand fed either their morning or if I'm busy, their

evening meal.

STAGE 3 Out time.

I sit at their table with a little seed or millet in my hand & open the cage

door, I put my hand in & allow them to step on & eat, slowly I take my

hand out of the cage, letting them stay on my hand until they realise

they're out & can walk off.

I let them explore & feed from a plate of treats while I enjoy a cup of

tea. If you have a bird gym I would encourage them to play on it.

When I've had enough I go to stage 4.

PREPARATION for stage 4, the return.

I fix the cage door open & fill the cage seed pots & add a fruit/veg treat.

STAGE 4 the return.

I hold a treat & as each bird comes over for a taste I either, put them

away or teach them to run around the table, luring them with the treat.

A short distance the first time, gradually increase this to right round the

table. onto my home made perch where I give them the treat.

I try never to chase & catch a bird its better to let him go than ruin

the trust already built up. I don't let a mishap turn into a catastrophe.

I would encourage the bird to step onto my hand with the aid of a treat &

put him away with it.

When I'm satisfied with the birds progress, I feed all foods in the cage as

normal. but save a couple of treats as special, only to be fed by hand as a

reward treats.

One of my favourite was Sponge Cake. I would cut a slice for myself &

cut some into beak size pieces. I eat mine with a cup of tea as I put the

birds through their paces. Teaching them tricks, games, etc.

Remember an unclipped bird flying off in a blind panic is an accident waiting

to happen.

Well that's about it, all you have to do is to persuade your birds you are the

most interesting thing in the world.

You will be teaching your birds to play the piano in no time. Yours B.J.

[Finnie 0]

Thanks for taking the time to write this up, BJ. It will be very helpful for people who want help with taming their birds. And it illustrates why it is so important to have lots of patience.