Peckedhen

No not me, I only keep Logans. Maybe Old Man, Tractorboy or Whitenight?? :-/

I don't know how exhibition fantails would fare in a dovecote. My garden fantails were under a net for just less than a week and stayed fine.

I don't like Acer - have had two and they both packed in after about two years - the motherboard burnt out. :-/ I am with Plusnet - £20 pm inclusive of anytime phonecalls and 300 hours international calls.

Three rounds maximum.

Two to go......keeping my fingers crossed for them.

NE lancs. Drizzle, high cloud cover. Light WSW breeze.

Welcome Satinwings. Your Logans look lovely and you've obviously spent a lot of time with them to get them so tame. Hardly anyone had whites when I first joined this forum, now they seem to becoming increasingly popular. Doesn't matter what age you are, if you like the birds, enjoy them. Welcome Crizmore13 as well. Look to the left of the board title and you will see the button for a new thread. Sue

Bet I'm the only one with a palm tree!! ;D

For some reason, whites always look worse when they are moulting; I thought that mine were ill the time I saw a moult.

I've hinged a sheet of hardboard above the window. It clips up to the roof out of the way then, when I want to basket, I simply lower it, the loft is dark and I pick the birds from the perches. Basketing takes a minute.

Paul, I am sorry that you met up with some of our less desirable members > >! Believe me, they are in the minority. As for your dovecote, I think its a great idea and it is how I first started keeping my pigeons. Fantail doves are not really suitable for a dovecote they are best suited to an aviary as they can't escape predators readily. What you could keep though are garden fantails - they are similar but don't have such big fans. They make lovely pets and easily tame so that they fly to you and waddle after you around the garden. They are good at escaping predators apart from birds of prey such as the Sparrowhawk, it would be devastating for your son to see one of his birds caught, plucked and eaten alive! The downside of keeping the birds outside is the droppings....you would not believe how waste one pigeon produces! If you can keep the birds on the dovecote then it isnt a problem. Mine insist on perching on our balcony and also next doors! Do post again and ask any questions you have, we will do our best to help you.

I kept my birds in for two weeks after my feline intruder, they still wouldn't trap when I let them out and it took three days to get some of them in. :(

Thanks Mick for delivering the little stray back to her owner. He was delighted to get her home safely and has written to you but addressed the letter to Mick Gangster!! ;D Hope you get it.

I have two garden fantail cocks here. If he/she just sorts courier.

Looks good. Have you got ventilation in there? Breeding loft - I bought the fronts then bullied OH into building boxes to fit them.

Photo of my loft It is 12x6 divided in two, one half for breeding, the other YBs. The sputnik doubles as an aviary/trap/bath area and YBs can look out to learn where they live. It is made so either or both sections can go into it. I have vents at the bottom front and gaps under the eaves at the back (filled with crushed chicken wire since I saw a stoat).

Best to separate them - give the hens a break! If you dont want to risk fantail cock mating with racers they will need to be kept separately too. Best advice I had was to have a sheet of hardboard hinged to loft roof, it swings down over sputnik/windows to darken loft and you can basket the birds in a couple of minutes, they sit on the perches waiting to be picked off. The hens will lay all year but slow down in the colder months. You don't need to worry about natural/widowhood as you're not racing.

I had mine on open hole and thought that it was great...... until a cat managed to get in the loft with them! > :'( I NEVER leave the trap open now, unless I am there!

I was told that if you have a youngster, two to four weeks old, with a bent keel, then a calcium tablet will often straighten it. Too late for you now but maybe worth trying if it happens in the future.

Hi Lisa, unless you can contain the pigeon there's not much can be done. The best thing is to feed and water it for a few days and, when its regained its strength, it should continue on its journey home. Thanks for caring. Sue

NE Lancs. No wind, low cloud cover. No mist or fog.

My condolences to family and friends. May you rest in peace. Sue

I will definitely donate, I lost my father, uncle and aunt all to stomach cancer. Sue

NE Lancs. Overcast, drizzle, low cloud cover and light W wind.

Feel free to sell or do what ever you want with the rings I sent Jack...they were of no use to me. Sue