Gun Dog Forum

How well do they work? A friend found one made of galvanized, and picked it up. It's 4'x4' and 5' tall. Where should I put it, how many birds will it hold? Any tips? Thanks

They work pretty well. It should hold about 12 to 15 birds (about 1 sq. foot a bird). Always leave about 1/4 to 1/3 of your birds in the johnny house to call the others back in. Make sure your funnel has a good slope to it otherwise the quail inside the johnny house can hop back up into the funnel and walk back out. Be prepared to lose a few to small varmits(mink, weasels, etc--because they can fit in the funnel as well)

deseeker wrote:They work pretty well. It should hold about 12 to 15 birds (about 1 sq. foot a bird). Always leave about 1/4 to 1/3 of your birds in the johnny house to call the others back in. Make sure your funnel has a good slope to it otherwise the quail inside the johnny house can hop back up into the funnel and walk back out. Be prepared to lose a few to small varmits(mink, weasels, etc--because they can fit in the funnel as well)

I saw a funnel that had 2 bobs, like on a pigeon trap, to use on a johnny house. What are your thoughts on that design?

I put bobs on my "funnel". I built a "predator proof".

I have a phantom quail kennel style Johnny house and it works great for me. My birds are healthy and safe and the recall very well to it. I have the funnel with the bobs on it

How well do they work? I think a johnny house is one of the best tools a dog trainer can have, unless they have unlimited access to wild birds. I have had much better success when i start out with young birds. I try to buy ten week old birds to put in my johnny house. I usually put them in there in about August, give them a couple weeks in the house to get acclimated. I then fly them out, but do not work dogs on them for a couple of weeks. So, I start using the house about the first of September. I use it all fall until it starts to freeze and I can't keep the water thawed, and then I just turn the birds loose.

Where do I put it? Out in a field, where you can work your dogs. Try not to put it in the woods, or along a woods line. Predators will be much worse if you do.

How many birds will it hold? I would probably start with twenty, and I know I'm going to loose some as I go.

Thanks for all the replys. I found some 10 week old georgia giant bobwhites, would they work ok?