Peckedhen

This happened to me last week. On closer inspection, I could see cat prints on the sputnik! I put a few grains of seed on the landing board and, six came in, the following day I did the same, as well as putting a dish of seed inside the sputnik so that the inside ones went into the sputnik to eat. Hunger finally drove the remaining six in. Good luck.

Thanks for that Fifer, I'll pass it on.

Happy St Andew's Day to all my friends North of the border.

Thanks guys. They are a in a wee town called Burntisland ???

Can anyone tell me what the peregrine situation in Fife is? A friend is considering buying a couple of pigeons as pets. They life near the sea.

Happy Thanksgiving to those over the pond.

And, if they don't choose to move on themselves, the web master should 'move them on.

A wonderful report. Sending up prayers for Phoebe and her family. Sue

Thanks for all the replies. Now I'm spoilt for choice!! ;D ;D

Happy Birthday Ben.

Thanks guys. :)

I've been advised to treat my birds for canker before I pair up - just as a matter of routine, they are not ill or anything. Which is the best/easiest product to treat a flock of 24 birds and where do I get it, is it prescription only? Thanks Sue.

I have had 24 white Logans out flying most days for the past three years and only lost one to a hawk, I think, as they came back very split up.

Excellent news. Congratulations and best wishes to the parents and babies. Steve, prepare for baby sitting services.

It must be me that the Logan's don't like then! It's not for want of trying - I have spent hours getting them to feed from my hand but, it hasn't made them tamer, just hungrier, some would rather do without food than come close to me!!

Does it depend on the type of bird though? I can call my fantails from flying onto my arm but, my Logans are different altogether - the further away I am, the happier they are!! No amount of food training seems to make them any tamer. :-/ :-/

They would be fine in a shed - many racing and fancy pigeons live permanently in a loft. They can flap around a bit and, will probably breed you some babies. OK they might miss their freedom but, far better that than become a meal for a hawk.

They will continue to lay all through the winter, though not as frequently as when the weather is warmer. So long as they sit the eggs and they are fertile, they should hatch. The way to catch the birds is to go out after dusk when they are both in the cote - they won't fly in the dark so you can just lift them out. If you don't have a shed, you might consider keeping them in a large rabbit cage. Another thought, if you used a homing cage or net when you first got them, you could use that to contain them in the dovecote.

Hello Jillus and a warm welcome to the site. You are not breaching any etiquette, I too have garden fantails in a dovecote. I'm sorry to hear about the problems you are having with the Sparrowhawk. Sadly, until the hawk is relocated, it will continue to return for a meal. I have sent you a pm. Look at the top of the screen one the right and click on pms.

Congratulations Kieran. Sue

I use the clay bowls, soak them in water overnight then scrub with a pan scourer. They come up like new and I've not had any problems with rearing youngsters in them.

Walking around the villages in NW Corfu, we saw pigeons being kept in cages more suited to budgies! There were pigeons on the house roofs; we didn't see any lofts. :-/

OK. I was just going to throw some light on the breeding if it were.

Is it one of mine Rich?

Hi Rich, These whites are so difficult to sex, after four years, I still struggle to tell. Do any cocks spin at it and does it nod it's head if they do? That's how I tell, other than them laying an egg!! ;D