Pigeons!

[Scarlet]

We've always had a couple of pigeons in the garden that never caused any problems...

That was until the grand invasion of the pigeons this year. We are surround by farmland and there is a flock of what looked like one hundred eating in the fields.

I counted twelve individuals in the garden one day and of course they are all in pairs and doing what paired pigeons do.

We had to buy new feeders for our poultry as the pigeons where eating more than our own birds were.

Now the main problem is them pooping everywhere and pulling up seedlings.

Someone suggested shooting them. This might be an option after breeding season but the thought of killing the parents and leaving a little chick in its nest is not something I want on my conscience.

Do you know of any ways to deter them out of the garden, off the fences and trees, anything that wont also scare our poultry( bird scarers also suggested) ? We have a cat and they do fly away when he goes near them, but an army of cats is not an option.

 

[Becky]

Sorry to hear that, they can be real pests! I've heard that hawk models can scare them off, but I've never tried it myself.

 

[marlingardener]

Scarlet, I don't know if it would scare your hens, but hanging anything bright and shiny (aluminum foil strips, old CDs, foil plates) will discourage birds. You would have to hang them up in trees, and along your fences. May I suggest that you try it in an area and see if your free-rangers get spooked? If so, this won't work. But, if it doesn't scare your hens, give it a try. Our hens consider anything new and novel as a toy, but they are intellectually challenged hens (dumber than soup, but loveable).

 

[grouie]

How about having a feeding area far away so that they go just there and nowhere else.

 

[Clairelouise84]

We've always had a couple of pigeons in the garden that never caused any problems...

That was until the grand invasion of the pigeons this year. We are surround by farmland and there is a flock of what looked like one hundred eating in the fields.

I counted twelve individuals in the garden one day and of course they are all in pairs and doing what paired pigeons do.

We had to buy new feeders for our poultry as the pigeons where eating more than our own birds were.

Now the main problem is them pooping everywhere and pulling up seedlings.

Someone suggested shooting them. This might be an option after breeding season but the thought of killing the parents and leaving a little chick in its nest is not something I want on my conscience.

Do you know of any ways to deter them out of the garden, off the fences and trees, anything that wont also scare our poultry( bird scarers also suggested) ? We have a cat and they do fly away when he goes near them, but an army of cats is not an option.

Are you sure? An army of cats sound amazing! lol But in all seriousness it is very kind that you do not want to kill the parents and leave the baby helpless. But have you tried bird scarers higher up so they do not scare your poultry?

 

[Pat]

The idea of the colorful things in the trees and fences sound good to me. I don't know if it would work but it is worth the try.

 

[Beth_B]

The idea of the colorful things in the trees and fences sound good to me. I don't know if it would work but it is worth the try.

I think it could work, certainly worth a try. I put out a little cat food in the morning for the three outdoor cats and we have a lot of starlings right now. I noticed they won't come near the cat food if I place it right next to my van and the sun is out. I realised they get spooked by their own reflections!

Back when I lived in Denver, the city allowed people to set off fireworks when the starlings flocked en masse. That worked, but I'm not sure how your chickens would react, or if it would be legal.

 

[Scarlet]

Sorry to hear that, they can be real pests! I've heard that hawk models can scare them off, but I've never tried it myself.

Yes they are. I always felt sorry for them when people complained as when there was a couple they was never really any damage or poop. I never thought of using a hawk model, that certainly sounds like something to try! We actually have an active sparrowhawk but he only visits a couple of times a week, if he was here more I'm sure they would soon leave. Thankyou for the suggestion.

 

[Scarlet]

Scarlet, I don't know if it would scare your hens, but hanging anything bright and shiny (aluminum foil strips, old CDs, foil plates) will discourage birds. You would have to hang them up in trees, and along your fences. May I suggest that you try it in an area and see if your free-rangers get spooked? If so, this won't work. But, if it doesn't scare your hens, give it a try. Our hens consider anything new and novel as a toy, but they are intellectually challenged hens (dumber than soup, but loveable).

Haha, yes ours are also pretty good with new things brought into the environment. Trying a mirror once was a terrible idea though as the Rooster found it and thought it was a rival male.
I wont brush this idea aside and may consider it for some specific areas, especially near the animal housing, but as we try to encourage beneficial wildlife in,lots of birds use our garden to raise their young, so we don't want to scare them all off.


How about having a feeding area far away so that they go just there and nowhere else.

That is a good idea also. Do you mean to feed the piegons somewhere away from the garden? Or to feed our own birds in a different area? We use a treadle feeder for the ducks that keeps the piegons out and the others are fed at set times whilst we are stood with them so the piegons eating our own birds food is no longer the problem that it was in the past. I think the company of other birds, lots of trees, vegetables, fruit and water with easy access to seeds/grain in the fields makes it ideal for them.

Are you sure? An army of cats sound amazing! lol But in all seriousness it is very kind that you do not want to kill the parents and leave the baby helpless. But have you tried bird scarers higher up so they do not scare your poultry?

lol, well we have three already but two are currently indoor cats. We don't want to scare off all of the wildlife, or have it all entirely eaten by the cats. The one that does go out is a very good hunter, he just doesn't seem to have a taste for piegons.


The idea of the colorful things in the trees and fences sound good to me. I don't know if it would work but it is worth the try. I think it could work, certainly worth a try.

I put out a little cat food in the morning for the three outdoor cats and we have a lot of starlings right now. I noticed they won't come near the cat food if I place it right next to my van and the sun is out. I realised they get spooked by their own reflections!

Back when I lived in Denver, the city allowed people to set off fireworks when the starlings flocked en masse. That worked, but I'm not sure how your chickens would react, or if it would be legal.

All sound like good ideas, will have a think and a chat and put some of them to practice and see how things go.

The fireworks I think may cause a few heartattacks lol, we have to go on lockdown during the firework part of the year as the majority of the animals are scared to death by them, would certainly work though but I do think whilst it would scare the piegons away for a while, it would scare everything else away within the radius.


Thanks for all the replies!

 

[Becky]

No worries, let us know how you get on!

 

[Rosyrain]

pigeons are annoying and once they roost in your yard, home, or warehouse, they are almost impossible to get rid of without taking drastic measures. Homing (not sure if I spelled that right) pigeons always find their way back to their home even if you transport them many miles to get them away from your home. I guess the first step is to find out what kind of pigeons you are dealing with.

 

[Scarlet]

They are wood pigeons. We occassionally have had the odd lost racing pigeon but really the problem is the sheer amount.