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After work today, I had my first full glimpse. Thought I'd share it :-):

Many thanks Debbie. It's the bird I'm proud of, as I've only just helped him along. Am very pleased though :-) Cheers! I can't believe I'm asking about the size of a potato. lol :-)

Sue, there's a trick in every trade! Same size potato as an egg, or the size of a squab? Many thanks :-)

I'm always blown away by the genrosity of people here. Thanks so much to Merlin and David L for the offer of rings today, and to PJC for this advice. I'm going to get the vaseline out to make sure that this novice does it properly. The three birds are also having telephone number rings too for good measure. Thanks again to everyone :-)

Did a quick Google search this morning, and found an interesting Q&A with Mr Napolitano: http://www.pipa.be/artikels/les/royal/royal.htm Congrats to all involved :-)

That's this week then. Bugger!! I've asked someone for some advice - thought I had a bit mnore time. I guess I just need to get one from anywhere, and then worry about transferring later. The unexpected birth has caught me on the hop :-( Here's the best pic I managed to get yesterday without disturbing anything:

Well, I won't be going into heavy training with it, as I don't want to risk losing it (with there only being one), but I'm going to let it have good flys out - in the knowledge that at least it'll come back ;-) Maybe - just maybe, there might be some more later! Took a pic yesterday - not the greatest of views, but will post it this morning.

Thanks, Phil. Still an unhatched egg in the nest, but the miracle squab is doing well. Growing nicely (though I've not seen it all yet). I can wait :-) Pic as soon as I can get a good one :-)

...definitely a squab! Whether one or two hatched remains to be seen (don't want to lift bird off bowl). So, the next chapter begins :-)

Good to see the thread kept alive in my absence! Cheers :-) Some strange news for you all. Despite signs that the eggs were not destined to hatch (they looked like duds after taking advice, albeit based on a poor quality photo), I came home on Tuesday to see egg shell in the shed. Just a broken egg I thought. Birds still on the nest, taking it in turns. I'm not sure, but I think the pigeon from the kitchen may be sitting on... ... To be continued when I've confirmed what I suspect :-)

chriss: that was definitely some dream :-) your advice makes perfect sense. Lennut: thanks. Am pleased with the Sputnik. Took ages to assemble as I think whoever wrote the instructions must also have invented the Rubiks cube :-) Cheers guys

OK,THANKS Sunday then.

Well, a consultant would say that. Actually quite optimistic advice from him (her?), but very tough.

Thanks Phil. Have sent you a PM. I've made a decision, and it was tough and took several weeks. I didn't want to see 'Blue Boy', or 'Bluey' kept in a shed for the rest of his life. Now he has a lovely hen and some eggs, which he's taken his fair share of sitting on - I have taken advice (which goes against other advice I really respect from people here), and let Bluey out into the garden today. He went around the garden, flew onto the roof (really strong now), and came back down. I sort of ushered him back into the shed. He looked really liberated. I breathed a sigh of relief, and shut the door. I'm going to let him back out tomorrow, on the basis that now's the best chance to train him to come in and out - particularly with the eggs, and the Sputnik which I bought and fitted onto the shed today: This may be the most unwise thing I've done so far, but I really want to give him the chance to fly out and come back home. I'm not letting his hen out though (yet). Please don't tell me I'm doing the wrong thing. I know how much the story has been supported. David

I'm glad it made you laugh, Lennut! I whacked the Savlon on - but the shed looked really clean after I'd finished, so it was well worth it :-) As you say, happy birthday to all the other June 6 people, and to everyone else with a birthday coming up :-)

Thanks guys (as I was on the birthday list). Gashed my head cleaning the shed/loft last night, so my birthday has been spent with a plaster on my forehead. Not a good look ;-)

Cheers for the Ring advice - and thanks Scooby for the offer. Can't believe they're going to hatch, but they've been constantly sat on for over a week. Nature's a wonderful thing.

Many thanks for that, mate. I got a drinker a few weeks back. I think making my own traps would be too ambitious for me ;-) Stuart (Swilcox) put me onto a place in Bristol to get a Sputnik, so I'll get one from there - not as cheap as buying my own, but in for a penny in for a pound :-) I was thinking about rings yesterday - loads to think about. If I could buy some off you, that'd be brilliant. I'd be very grateful. Could you PM me?

I'm working on loads at the moment. I'll finish something one of these next days ;-)

Those pig gifs are brilliant, Duncan :-)

It's taken a lot of persuasion to get the 6x4 ;-)

Don't go there, Phil ;D

Cheers guys/gals. Bluey is glowing. The pic of him on the nest didn't have a flash. The place I was going to get a Sputnik was closed over the weekend, so it's going to have to wait another day or so. Hopefully, 2 becomes 4 :-)

Hi. I was going to leave this until tomorrow as I'll have a bit more time, but thought I'd post an update. 'Bluey' is doing really well with his hen, but after nearly a month, I didn't think there were going to be any eggs. However, she sat in her nest bowl towards the end of last week (and around swap over time, I saw ONE EGG :-) There'll be two in there now. Here's Bluey taking his turn on the nest: If all goes well, the pigeon from the kitchen is going to be a dad :-) :-) I'll post more updates as things happen. Thanks in the meantime for the interest people are continuing to show :-)

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