Peckedhen

Thanks Andrew.

Martinalison, the 16th November is on a Wednesday - well, it is on my calendar. Please can you check the date, I really want to go to this show - do people sell birds at these shows?

Take a look at this article - this guy is having success keeping pigeons this way. http://www.pigeon-lung.co.uk/articlefiles/art_keithmott.html

Is there any show around NE Lancashire other than Blackpool? I'd love to go and see some other birds and meet their owners.

Thanks Shadow. I spoke too soon - the birds trapped into the loft and then jumped back out again - the sputnik needs modifying!! I just hope they come home tonight and know how to get back in!! :-/ :-/

I'd love to see everyones birds though I personnaly wouldn't be able to vote in a poll - I have no experience of birds. What about a class for novices, young handlers (or in my case old handlers) and what about the fancy pigeons or would it be just racing pigeons?

How mant times do the birds need to go through the trap before I can consider them trained? I made a box to put them outside the trap (it took ages!), put the birds in it and they both jumped straight through back into the loft! Do I now consider these two to be trap trained? Actually, I'm having to keep the sputnik closed or my two fantails (which live in a dovecote) go through the trap and get stuck in the loft! :-/

It's certainly not dried - more a sort of paste but there may well be preservatives in it

I really don't want to bid for birds but will send a donation if someone will IM me an address and name of fund. Thanks.

Not to worry - I know of none - apart from you of course! ;D ;D

Westy, there is no place to vote 0 !!!

Do pigeons get sufficient salt from a pigeon mix or should they be given any? If so, what sort of salt should I give? :-/

Poor things, what a start to coming out into the big wide world! I guess I'm lucky, so far - I have two white fantails which potter aroung and sunbath on the house roof - a sitting target for hawks, yet I've never seen one around! Hope you scared the **** out of your unwanted visitor and he never returns!

Well, I'm wearing similar clothing, no bright colours, no different perfume or anything and I always speak to them before I pick them up. I can only think it's because I frightened them so much trying to catch them. :-/ Oh, one other thought, I did do some hammering when I was trying to put up a mesh door, they didn't like that very much. ???

Yeah, they all hand fed and flew all over me when I had them loose on the garden. Now I've got them in the loft, and tried catching them, they've changed their minds about me!!

Hey, hope you're joking! I don't want to end up with them being aggressive!! They are on v perches at the mo. I'm getting the ply for the floor today so if there's some left I could make a box for them then maybe I can corner them better! I'll give it a go with the way you say tonight when they are more dopey, I've no chance in the daytime! ;D

This isn't working! I can pick them off the perches at night and I think I'm holding them properly - hand under and thumb over holding the wings, legs backwards, my other hand supporting the front of the bird. :-/ They are terrified, 'growling' and struggling to get free. Would I be better using these two as breeders next spring and staerting afresh handling their offspring from a very young age? These birds had never been handled before I got them but they were only 5-7 weeks old and I thought they would easily become tame. They are worse now than when I got them!

Yep, Samantha you're right. Good to have you back. :) Just a thought and not even sure how I'd do it but, would the partition have to be solid or would plastic garden fencing do? :-/

Thanks very much for all your advice guys, I really appreciate it. :K) I haven't seen any signs of the cock chasing the hen but one does coo a lot whilst the other is lying down and 'he' stands at 'her' side.:-/ I shall just have to be patient and keep everything crossed that they are a pair and let nature take it's course. : :)

I'm new to pigeons. I've just started with two white homers.I only bought two because I thought they were prolific breeders but, now I'm getting impatient and want more birds!

Am I sure? Well, the cock has a blue ring and the hen a pink one! ;D LOL Seriously, the breeder ringed them that way and said he was as sure as he could be. I just feel to be at a atandstill, I can't train them because they're moulting so I thought I would try to breed. Maybe I should look at getting another proven pair. Will they still be breeding at this time of the year? I thought they bred all year round except in very cold spells? :-/

Is there anything that I can do to encourage my two pigeons to breed? I have given them some straw and sticks to build a nest and a box to nest in but, although they pick up the sticks they show no interest in mating. :-/ They are about 6 months old and I was told that they would be breeding by the end of the summer....... :-/

Thanks Bruno - yet again.

So, I've now read to put garlic in the water, cider vinegar in the water, live yogurt on the food and also lemon juice on the food. What is the lemon jiuce for and how often please?

Thanks Bruno, I'll do this.