All my birdies love to come out of the cage in the morning and fly around.

However, I am having more and more trouble getting Emma back in. For a while it was working to take the food away and then put it back when I want them to go in.

Now, the other three will go in to get the seed, but Emma just sits on top of the cage, watches the other three eating, and won't go in. It is not possible for me to catch her. If it goes on long enough, the other three go in and eat, then they come back out. Then, if she goes in, the other three are out. So, I can't get the four of them in at once.

In the evening I am not having the same problem. As it gets dark, they all go in, then I close them in for the night.

I just ordered a small travel cage. I am thinking that when I get the other three into the big cage I can close it up. Then, I can put some seed in the small cage for Emma. I am really hoping that this works. I am at my wits end with it.

Emma is a very intelligent and willful girl. I really do love her and admire her in many ways. But, she's really a handful. I can't trick her, no matter what I do. She knows exactly what's going on. I even think that she enjoys driving me crazy with this not going back into the cage thing. I think she finds it very entertaining how I keep coming over to the cage, trying to entice her onto my arm with seeds to get her into the cage.

Is there another treat that might appeal to her more than the seed you're currently offering? If she was a male you might be able to lure her in with a mirror, but most hens aren't too interested in mirrors.

Thank you for the suggestion.

I had been trying regular seed mix and sunflower seeds, which usually work as a training treat. This morning, I tried millet. She did go in for millet, but I felt it was touch and go.

I think I need to find more types of treats. I'm thinking about peanut butter. I don't currently have any in the house, because I don't personally like it. But, I hear some birds love it.

I also liked your suggestion about getting her into the cage sometimes, but letting her come right out again. That has been difficult to implement.

I think if I made the time commitment to do target training with her twice (or even once) a day it might help. It's been hard to do that.

I am doing well with my younger tiel, Silver, who is much more compliant. It may be partly because his wings are clipped. Emma's have never been clipped. She's about 8 months old and has been with me for about 5 months.

Thanks again.

You always have the option of clipping Emma's wings while you teach her good habits. She's basically a birdie teenager right now and feeling a little rebellious.

Indeed! But, I love her anyway.

I got a small travel cage. This is to keep open for Emma if the other birds go in and she won't. If I leave the large cage open, by the time she goes in, the others are out.

The cage arrived Thursday. Friday morning I set it up. She went in and I closed her in. She was not happy!

Later that afternoon, I put her, in the small cage, on the dining room table. I reached into the small cage with a towel to try to catch her so I could clip her.

She shrieked like I was murdering her! I finally got her in the towel, turned her on her back and put a piece of towel loosely over her face. However, she struggled so very hard that I was unable to keep hold of her. She escaped and flew into the living room.

An hour of so later she was flying to me for sunflower seeds.

Today, she knows what's up with the small cage, and won't go in. She has had nothing much to eat since 8:30 to 9 last night. It's now 2:15 pm, and she still won't go in.

My plan now is, if I an get her in the travel cage, keep her there until I can get to the vet (hopefully Monday) and get the dirty deed done.

She is a frustrating bird, but I love her anyway. I admire her spirit.

At 2:45 I had to go out. So, I caught Emma in a butterfly net (I hate to do that) and put her in the small cage. While I was catching her, she screamed her head off. She was very unhappy in the cage.

I came home at 4:30 and let them all out. She came right over and flew to my arm to get her sunflower seeds, like nothing happened before.

You can always hope that she's learned her lesson!

Emma is a clever girl and she loves you; she will learn what is expected from her very soon (it looks like she has learned already, a bit!).
As Tielfan says, she is a rebellious teen. She won't stay like that forever.

The decision of clipping her is entirely yours and I, or nobody else here, would judge you for it; but please think of the two scenarios.
On one side, you have a stubborn young bird who will learn to obey you out of love and desire to please you, on her own free choice; this is such an immense satisfaction, and a great sense of accomplishment for both of you.
On the other side, you will have a clipped bird who will be miserable for a while because she can't fly anymore, and when (if) she will finally get over the sadness she will obey you for the simple reason that she can't do otherwise.

Some of my guys are absolute demons when the time comes to get into the cages, and I'd be lying if I said I never thought of clipping Sesamo (who is a naughty dynamo); I am now happy I didn't because I found a way (FINALLY!!!) to entice her into the cage.
I am sure you will find the right way, you are so resourceful!
Emma seems such a beautiful free spirit.

How do you get Sesamo into the cage?