Peckedhen

:) A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL. :)

Thanks Shelbin. No, not babies - about seven months old. I'll need to bring them in to check droppings.

My garden fantails are both flying in a strange way. Not that they fly far, but they set off and sort of appear to have to correct their line of flight - difficult to explain really - look as though they have had one gin too many! They have lopsided tails, could this be affecting their ability to fly in a direct line? :-/

Bewted, Thank you very much. :K) :K) Hopefully the following year I will be able to contribute myself. Peckedhen

I haven't got any birds to send and you say you won't accept a cash contribution, any other suggestions what I could do? :-/

Jimmy, my apologies. I too have a little senility-I'd totally forgotten about the photo of me with the dovecote! : Hope that lets me off posting another now!! ;D

Bewted Plenty of room outside for fantails - two living in a dovecote for twelve! Jimmy Getting seriously worried about you........Are you seeing things? I haven't posted a photo of myself yet! I only have one of me with daughter and haven't yet worked out how to cut her out of the photo! (Actually, after Samantha's photo, I was considering passing daughter off as me!! ;D ) Bruno Thanks. That's as clear now. As clear as mud! ;D No, seriously, I can get my head round it - just hope the birds can! Mealybar I have often used a wax crayon to mark hen's eggs with no detrimental results. I've never seen a pigeon egg (yet) so I don't know how fragile they are compared to a hen's and you do need to exert a bit of pressure to mark with crayon. A magic pen marks easily but contains a spirit which you can smell initially. Not sure if this would effect the embryo - Bruno? :-/

OK, so if I pair the Logans next week and put the fantails in the other loft how will I get them to lay? Am I right thinking that they need to lay at about the same time as the others? If they are two hens and don't lay, do I just put eggs under them will they sit on them? And, do you mean treat them as a pair ie. just two eggs or two eggs per hen? Forgive me if I sound really stupid - I can just imagine some of you guys rolling your eyes heavenwards!! :

Thanks Snowy. :K) Bewted, I've got two garden fantails - I never thought to use them as foster parents but, again, I'm not sure if they are a pair!! :B

Thanks Bruno - just hope that they turn out to be pairs! :

I want as many ybs as possible. How many birds will I be able to get from two pairs? I have no other birds that I could float eggs under. :-/

Here are the phone numbers for Classic White Doves Bewted: t: 01933 413 933 m: 07798 625 231 f: 01933 410 322 Good luck - it took me ages to find my white Logans. I'd offer you some but I think it may be 2007 before I have enough to give any away! :

Just had a look Snowy but I couldn't get the video clip. There was just a bit of movement and then it stopped on the loft wall. :-/

Hopefully next week when the weather warms again Westy. I'm still not sure if I have two pairs so the sooner I find out the better. :

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Rose and Speight. Have a wonderful day. love Peckedhen :K)

Whatever!! No, seriously, I hope you feel better soon luv! :)

Posting at 09.39 Westy? - have you made a mistake and forgotten to go to school? ;D ;D

Lovely photos Maddy and great that your ambition for her paid off.

;DLOL and here's me thinking you'd be able to help me sex mine!!

Too true - it couldn't have happened at a better time, if you know what I mean.

They are beautiful Samantha. How do you know they are cocks? I'm still not sure what my two are? Are there any racing pigeons with these neat faces? My Logans have typical racing pigeon beaks with quite large ceres. :-/

I have only just started with pigeons so I haven't had much time to mess up! I got my first decent birds - they lasted me just six days before I left the sputnik open and away they flew! : :B This weekend I registered on the new site www.pigeonauctions.co.uk I was just checking it out and clicked on the bid button to see what happened next, thinking that it would be like eBay and I wouldn't have committed but, I'd placed bid on a very expensive racing pigeon!! Fortunately, the webmaster was very understanding and agreed to retract my bid. Phew!! :B

Ooh, CONGRATULATIONS. Can we have a photo soon please?

Hi, I don't think that you will need a nest bowl in the dovecote as they will lay in the area round the side of the pop hole so they are out of the wind. I have wood shavings and hay in each compartment which I clean out every couple of months or so. I throw a handful of pigeon grit on the lawn every week but really it's not necessary as they will find their own grit. I have a mineral pickstone ( keep it in an empty compartment of the dovecote so that the clay stays dry) and they do go in to it most days. Once a week I put half a clove of garlic into their two pint water fountain for two days but they have plain water the rest of the week. Other than that I offer them a bath early on warm, sunny days, they love it and will sit in the water for ages. If you notice feather lice on your birds (they look like dark splinters in the feathers) the easiest way to treat them is probably with feather drops - I use Harkers - just a drop between their shoulders. I think that that is about it, apart from initial health problems when I first got them mine have been fine and seem to be really hardy birds.

Belated Birthday Greetings sorry I'm late! :