Escaped Breeder Yellow Collar

[dyeman]

I unfortunately have a Yellow Collar hen that escaped an outdoor aviary this morning. This is the first time I have had this happen. She is in a tree about 100 yards from the aviary, but is too high to catch. Do any of the breeders or others on the board have any suggestions? I am hoping she will come back when she gets hungry. But I will probably have a devil of a time catching her.

I thought of leaving her cage open on the chance that she will come back to eat, but that would require removing her mate, and I was hoping he might entice her back as well.

Any help from someone with experience with this would be appreciated.

[The Outlaw]

Scott:

Take his cage outside, closed of course. Set a second cage next to his, open with food and water inside.

They will likely contact call each other. She may decide to come in later today. However, try to keep an eye on her. You probably have 4 days before she'll be in real trouble if she stays close to home. However, for birds that can see great distances, it may be that she decides to take off.

Notify vets, breeders and police in the event that someone finds her and tries to bring her in.

Good luck.

[Joel]

Scott.....I would call or round-up as many people as I can quickly to come over and help ya out catching her. I would plant someone or two people on a roof with binoculars to watch exactly where she goes once she flys off. Keep in touch by cell-phones and jump in ready cars to move to next location, when she gets tired you will have better luck catching her. You might also try and round up some swimming pool nets that may help - with already attached long extension handles. Worked for me once. I also caught an escaped Zebra finch by standing below a very high tree with a water hoze that had attached pressure nozzle. I set it on the strongest jet and turned spicket on high and aimed at finch. Before the lil tyke realized what was going on or where to fly off to, he got sufficiently wet where he fluttered to the ground as he tried to take off. I never thougth that would have worked unless I tried it myself. I didn't think the bird could get wet enough to impede flight but he did. Lucky, I guess. Otherwise I would just set a trap with food and bait bird and hope for the best.....Really though, try & round up as many people quickly as ya can but don't take your eye off your bird in the meantime or have at least two people keep an eye while you do other things to catch or round up equipment......Good luck. Btw, I have had a bird or two or three etc. fly back a day later or two days but never after that time period.....

Originally Posted by dyeman

I unfortunately have a Yellow Collar hen that escaped an outdoor aviary this morning. This is the first time I have had this happen. She is in a tree about 100 yards from the aviary, but is too high to catch. Do any of the breeders or others on the board have any suggestions? I am hoping she will come back when she gets hungry. But I will probably have a devil of a time catching her.

I thought of leaving her cage open on the chance that she will come back to eat, but that would require removing her mate, and I was hoping he might entice her back as well.

Any help from someone with experience with this would be appreciated.

[dyeman]

Thanks for the suggestions. We are watching her, she is still in the same tree beside the house and we are trying to tempt her down with her mate and food. I am not trying anything drastic yet, because I am thinking that if she stays in the same tree, she may come down when she gets hungry.

I'll keep everyone updated as things progress.

Scott

[SweetPea]

I had a finch, that flew away, and out of sight. For house, I kept an eye out for it to no avail....and I had to leave, so I left its mate in a cage in the gazebo outside, and an empty cage with its door open. Late at night, when I came home, I saw a little thing scrunched up in the empty cage.

It flew home and right into the open cage!

[The Outlaw]

Still not caught? I'm praying for you.

[dyeman]

Originally Posted by The Outlaw

Still not caught? I'm praying for you.

She is moving around the house towards the back tree by tree. The aviary is back there and all the birds are calling to her and she is answering. I have her mate caged inside her cage and the door to her cage open. I am hopeful she is coming back on her own terms. I made a couple of attempts to catch her with an extended net and only succeeded in frightening her, so I am watching her and hoping she will cooperate. Everyone's concern and prayers are appreciated.


I will keep updating.

Scott

[Sophiestkated2]

She'll be home in no time, Scott. Jist bein' a stubborn woman and wanting to do things on her terms, like you said! Maybe if you put some pasta and candlelite out, she'd be wooed...thnicker-thnicker!
I'll be checking in often for updates.

Jeth

[Lisa B]

scott....I'm not an expert on this subject, but an hoping she gets back where she belongs quickly. As Jeth said, she's a woman....
keep us updated....

[Joel]

Scott, if ya haven't caught her by nightfall, ya can either gamble and wait to try again in the very early morning (be up just before sunrise), hopefully she will stay put during the night & not be spooked out of the tree by something. OR ya might want to try this (risky though if she takes off and ya can't see where she goes). Shine a very bright flood light in her eyes (I'm talking strong - hopefully that won't in itself spook her) and quietly raise an extension ladder to just below her (if ya can do that quietly & safely - worked for me once). Then slowly & quietly climb the ladder if she isn't too high out of reach (have someone hold it with additional lookouts watching the bird and when close have someone shut off the light). The bird will be momentarily blinded and hopefully you can drop a net over her then.....If it by any chance it rains hard tonight that might help get her wet also to make catching easier?...Best of luck.....