Peckedhen

I think that Andyb helped the original poster via her email ad. I took the bird only about 12 miles away and no, Joe90, it didn't return. I think that it went down into Cornwall somewhere!! ;D ;D ;D

Thank you - I'm much better now. :K) :K)

Speck - the bird I caught had been hanging around with my birds for a few days. It was not rung and could have been carrying goodness know what diseases. I decided that it was time to take it for a ride in the car so that it could find itself some new friends!!

Lovely news. Congratulations to all. Please may we have a photo asap.....I love babies!!

Of course I remember and appreciated your help. :K) However, I did take your post personally - it's not always easy to interpret the written word in the way it was intended so, no offence. (But I still think it' a good way to catch a pigeon! )

Rubbish eh? > Well Joe90, I was simply trying to help a non-fancier catch a bird. FYI I caught a stray in exactly this way only a couple of weeks ago and, maybe it was a particularly thick one but, it went under the box three times before I succeeded! I've had plenty of experience as a newbie trying to catch a bird in a shed - if the bird doesn't want catching it is far from stress free for it!

Here's the way to catch it - should be fairly easy seeing as it's already dining at your place!! http://www.racingbirds.com/ptrap.html Just make sure the box is heavy enough to drop quickly - it's amazing how fast they can move!!

It works as a sputnik/aviary for me but, if I do start racing, it is too long to catch the birds when they trap - they soon learnt that if they run to the far end I can't reach them!!

Hmmm, no Jimmy I should have listened when I was first told she wouldn't make it but, I prolonged her agony hoping she'd pull through! :B Moral for me: Don't get too attached to one bird! :'(

OK. Length - 110cm Depth - 61cm Height - 65cm Height from base to landing board - 33cm The holes they go through are 10cm high and 10.5cm wide. Hope this helps Gary. Sue

Here's a photo of my home made one. I've adapted it a bit since the photo - perspex covers on sides in prevailing wind and over the dowelling part to stop predators entering.

OK Steve, thanks. Thankfully she wasn't in the loft but out in a dovecote with just three other birds so it won't be such an onerous task as it might have been.

Thanks Speck. She appeared to pick up after the second dose of Appertex then, although eating, was hunched up again. She couldn't fly and I had her put down yesterday. :'( My fancier friend told me a few days to let him do it but, I hung on hoping......now I feel guilty that I prolonged her suffering.....it turned out she was egg bound.

White garden fantail cock free to good home. PM if interested. Sue.

Thank you Wiley. I'm not sure if I can cope with the stress of racing! I've taken their training very cautiously, determined not to loose any but, a couple of weeks ago I sent them on training toss with NE Lancs Fed. The weather closed in and I had only three back from 17 - I tell you, I was worried sick about them - I couldn't eat or drink - eventually the torrential rain stopped and one by one they returned but, it's supposed to be fun isn't it? It's not my idea of fun!! I'll have to toughen up and not get so attached to them if I'm going to race.

Too fat? :-/ Dunno - first thing that sprang to mind!!

LOL Bill! Thanks very much for all the advice - seems there are as many ideas as there are replies! I'll give some of them a try and keep you posted. Cheers. Sue :K)

My young birds still have blue breasts though they are not scaly. I feed them about 1 1/4 ounce Breed and Wean a day. They have garlic in their water followed by plain water, cider vinegar, plain water, vitamins, plain water. Any suggestions what I should do to get the breasts pink please?

Thanks for your help. I'll try worming her. :K)

Well, no, I'm not sure that it's cocci but, the Appertex worked so I thought that's what it was. :-/

I have a fantail hen which stopped eating three weeks ago. I isolated her, gave her Appertex and she picked up and has been fine for over two weeks but has, over the last couple of days, gone downhill again - not eating, hunched up, wattle off white. I've treated again with the Appertex but, is there anything else I should do? Is it usual for them to get Cocci twice?

Thanks Storm_rollers. I'll survive - I'm a tough old bird! ;D

Thanks guys. It's good to know the birds should be OK and I'll be extra careful to wash hands in an antibiotic before and after handling the birds.

I hope this isn't going to be a stupid question but, it's worrying me so I'm going to ask anyway :B....... I've just been diagnosed with Shingles (ouch) - can I infect my birds? I know that it's related to Chicken Pox but is this anything to do with Pox? :-/

You sound to be doing very well with the youngster. Here's a link to a site which may be able to help you with your ill pigeon. One British member - cyro51 has successfully reared lots of Woodies and will be able to tell you if your baby is one. http://www.pigeon-life.net/index.html Good luck. Sue.