Peckedhen

Thanks everyone, that's reassuring.....so guess what I'll be doing this weekend!? ;D

Thanks - can someone give me a link to 'burn on felt' please? I've done a search but can't come up with anything!!

Ok, I lost the felt off my loft today. All the birds are on eggs......I'll have to replace the felt but, will the hammering upset the birds? I don't want them to come off their eggs! :-/

The perspex has blown off my sputnik and smashed and the heavy duty felt (I paid extra for) has just come off the loft roof!! > > All my birds are sitting eggs in there! :'(

I've had open loft all winter with no problems (I've only 19 birds though). I think it's paid off.....the birds have all laid within 12 days of pairing - no fat hens!! My neighbours don't mind - they love to see my white 'doves' flying; they might think differently if they knew they are pigeons!! ;D ;D

Thanks. Just don't want him breaking anyone elses eggs!! I need all the young I can get at the moment!!

No, I've not actually seen him tread but, she's laid eggs and they both sit on them. :-/ :-/

Hmm, ok I think! I paired them on the 3rd and they've all laid which I'm told is good going for 06 birds. They're all settled to their boxes, apart from the cock in the bottom box, who seems to think he owns his box plus the rest of the loft space!! He doesn't perch next to his hen unless I lock them in together!

Thanks everyone. :K) :K)

It has been suggested by a member of PB that I feed the birds flax so that they are able to fly in the rain....... "1 teaspoon of flax seed for 25 birds- 3-4 times a week. They will get oily/slick like a duck and can fly in the rain for quite a while before they have to sat down. Feed the flax first then your other feed." Does anyone have any experience/comments about this please?

Why don't you see if you can borrow a cage? It's only for short term til the little fellow gets the hang of whet he's supposed to do. Local vets sometimes hire them out.

I'd agree with Celtic on this. Our labrador *expletive removed* was totally confused..she'd be out in the garden, dash into the kitchen for a wee and then go back out again and she pooed every night!! A cage sorted the problem instantly! You need to get a cage small enough so the dog just has room for it's bed that way it can't go to one end to do the deed!

I was told to put mine on Breed and Wean two weeks before pairing and then keep them on it.

A fox will easily jump onto a 3' 5" table!! Is there any way you could attach the hutch high up on your house wall? My dovecote is about 8' off the ground! :-/ I have to use ladders to reach the birds! :

An old paint tin 8" high in the nest box gives the hen somewhere to perch and escape the cock. Remove the cock from the box, carefully put her on the paint tin and hold her a minute till she realises she can perch there, then put the cock back in. If the cock is really hurting the hen you can try putting them in a loft on their own so she has space to escape. In a day you'll see them huddled down in a corner, then you'll know they are paired, they can go back in the nest box then but keep an eye on them. Hey every one ;D ;D..me giving advice!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D

OK thanks. I've got seven pairs - don't know how you guys who have so many more manage!! :

I'll bear that in mind Wiley - I'm hopeless with photoshop etc. Actually I'm hopeless with the camera too - I can't catch the birds in flight very well - often I get the basket with the lid down or an empty basket!! ;D ;D Thanks Jimmy. I can't work now due to health problems but it would be great if I could do a paid release now and then!!

Patiance then I guess! Last year I had four pairs and it all went like clockwork. These yearlings are keeping me on my toes!! ;D

Thanks everyone How do I know if they are not paired up? Bruno, but the cock is not going back into the box...they both stay on the floor!!

Sorry guys..I'm really messing uo the boards!! managed to post twice, removed the second but the replies stayed! Please can a moderator/webmaster remove? Sorry again :B :B :B

My old cocks and yearling cocks were all settled to a nestbox. Four days ago I paired them and locked them in. I've since let them out one pair at a timeeach day but two pairs do not return to the boxes, I end up having to catch them and put them back! Does this mean they're not really paired? Or the cock was not really stayed to the box? Or...?? Should I carry on and hope they get the hang of it or do something else? :-/ :-/

Not enough!! Two stock pairs and 12 left from those I bred last year. I'm going to breed a lot more now I know what I'm doing - maybe get another loft this summer. Hope so Martin. I've done two funerals and a school opening but these were for friends - I've yet to make a penny!! ;D ;D

Thanks everyone. The forecast was for rain, clearing later. I took one hen to the funeral but, the weather was appalling - throwing it down and very low cloud cover. The bird wouldn't have had a chance of getting back home so I didn't release her :-/; the family of the pigeon fancier understood perfectly. Sod's law, two hours later the rain stopped and the sun came out! > : Lesson learned though...I need to keep my birds in training if I'm going to use them for 'dove' releases!!

Thanks Tracey. The weather is awful today - I wouldn't release a dead cat in this, let alone my precious birds!! I'll just have to wait and see how it pans out but, if I don't get a practice toss then I'll just take the one bird.

Hey! Its a funeral and its the day after tomorrow - Friday!! Hence the panic! Thanks everyone - I'll take them half way tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed!! Sue :K) :K)