A basic routine for pigeons is very important, especially for
the young birds. They like things to happen at the same time each
day. When they exercise and
eat, make it simple for you and the birds. Be in the coop to get them used
to you, but also give them time alone to rest.
My birds know when I get home. You can tell. They are out in
the aviary looking for me. They look forward to seeing me
because they know they are going to be
let out to fly and they are going to get fed.
Just as human babies like
to be on a consistent schedule to eat, sleep and play, pigeons
respond well to this same kind of treatment. They come
to expect
the
same things to happen every day near the same time. My birds become conditioned
to eating and flying at about the same time each day.
There are times
in my young bird handling when it is necessary for me to change
the schedule for my birds. When I have to do this, I do it
all at
once. I don't
think a gradual change works well for the birds. It is usually a shock
to the birds for the first day or two, but then they are over it and
they get
used to
the new schedule quickly. The important thing is that they still get
fed and exercised every day. The basic routine doesn't change, just
the time
of day that
I do it.
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