Quail recall pen

jeffstally

jeffstally

Member
I built a quail recall pen this weekend and bought 12 bobs. I found the plan in an old Gundog magazine. When I was putting the birds in one got loose in the garage, so this will be its first big test.

I planted a bird in a foot trap and let my 10 month old setter run around. He went on a nice point about 10 yards down wind. He's still in need of more whoa training. I had him on a check cord.

This is my first pointer, but I am really liking this dog. They are definately slower maturing though.

Does anyone have any good advice on helping me get him steady?
 
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Work your way to the bird by walking in from the side to the dog, using the whoa command as a reassurance, do not walk up from behind, let the dog see you working your way to him, walking from behind encourages breaking, get your hands on the dog rub him up and be lavish in praise, when he's solid move cautiously toward the bird, when you get there, this is the "different part", pick it up. show the dog the bird, let him mouth it and get a good snort, praise and send on to the next one. This plants the idea of a successful event. Eventually, you can flush the bird, but flushing prior to staunchness will encourage chase and breaking. If your dog is not solid on point, creeps, or is soft, the hands on him will tighten him up, if you need, you can push him toward the bird a little to stiffen him up. I have used this method dozens of times, early, 10weeks and on, and often. Ocassionally you have a dog with not a lot of stop in them, danger is them catching the bird, checkcord a must in these cases, but I have seen dogs that seemed to have to learn to point! As outrageous as that seems and still be successful. Sounds like your dog is right on schedule, and already has a good deal of point. As an aside, I handle retrieving earlier even than pointing but seperately, until point and back is established, I don't want to encourage chase until all the other building blocks are in place. Once the two ideas are firmly established,it's time for a point,flush, shot and retrieve, after that all you need is experience.
 
Hey Jeff, Can you post the plans? I would be interested in building a small recall pen. I thought of building a Johnny House but I don't think I need anything too awfully big.
 
My advice would be build a johnny house if your going to keep quail. Much more user friendly and productive, will save you birds and aggravation. Make it at least 4x4x6 tall, height is important to allow birds to excercise their wings. You can get superior funnels from Lion Country Supply, along with waterers etc. By the way, you realize that when spring comes all your quail will cease to recall and just disappear, no matter the accomodations, if you let them out when it's mating , nesting season, they are gone! You can reload usually about July, and all those birds will stay till the next spring, try to get 12 week old if you can.
 
Do you recomend a dirt or wire floor in a pen?
 
Wire all the way. hardware cloth 1/2 inch for adult sized birds, doubled if you can to keep the burrowing critters out. Lets the poop fall through and keeps them from contamination which causes gut ulcerations and death real fast! You can loose them all in a day, literally from healthy to dead. Once a year have to move the pen and clean out the field mice and poop. Flight trained quail from a johnny house are very difficult to tell from wild birds after a while, with the added advantage they will attract wild birds to the area if any. I have had great success with Huns as well, bigger and stronger flyers but they are expensive. I have a friend out west who uses valley/california quail as well.
 
as far as the whooa comands put your dog on a table. it takes him out of his comfort zone. when he's on the table hold the collor and your comand if he moves a foot thump it and put it back soon he will be broke to where you can leave and come back and he'll still be there. then you take it to the ground its really worked for me found it on great traning videos.
 
Thank you for the info. I'm going to build one and use bob birds just to keep the dogs fresh in the off season. Since there are no wild bobs in Ca it will save me the headache of getting a the permits and such to release native birds. I have seen wild valley quail enter a johnny house with bobs I have also witnessed bobs learn to speak Ca quail. Weird.
 
quail hound said:
Thank you for the info. I'm going to build one and use bob birds just to keep the dogs fresh in the off season. Since there are no wild bobs in Ca it will save me the headache of getting a the permits and such to release native birds. I have seen wild valley quail enter a johnny house with bobs I have also witnessed bobs learn to speak Ca quail. Weird.
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Are you saying that your wild ca quail get along the your pen raised bobs? Ive only seen the wild ca quail "run off" the pen raised bobs!
 
I have seen wild Ca quail happily sharing the shelter and free feed and water of a johnny house. I have also seen them in mixed coveys with the California quail allowing a bob bird to take the sentry post. Maybe an isolated occurance I'm not sure, but a bob saying chi-ca-go is quite an amusing.
 
First off my apologies to Jeff for hijacking this thread.

Wp, this is not my personal experience, but my case in point.

valleys.jpg


My personal experience is a single loaner wild rooster finding a mate in my pen in the form of a bob bird. He had to fight at first, but the pen was big enough and he got to stay. None of the hens eggs hatched:( but it was a educational experience.
 
macstevej said:
Hey Jeff, Can you post the plans? I would be interested in building a small recall pen. I thought of building a Johnny House but I don't think I need anything too awfully big.
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Yes Sir. Send me a PM with your email and I will send you a PDF.
 
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