Feeding ferals

[mountainstorm]

On Saturday I bought a 10 pound bag of wild dove and pigeon seed mix to "supplement" (the bag states that it is not to be used as a main source of food) Cielo's previous flockmates diets. Of course I'm not going to put any on the roadside, but the safe places for them to eat are blocked by a chain link fence so I have to throw it over. Or there's a place where part of the fence, between the hill and a farmyard, has been cut open.

So I guess my question is: should I scatter food along the length of the overpasses, or just in one specific place? How many days will it be before they start coming there? I probably won't see them eating it, since I go to work at 1 in the afternoon and leave at seven or eight.

Also, there's a flock of mourning doves I've seen feeding in the parking lot at work, and I've started leaving food for them too.

Rach

[andinla]

feeding ferals. If you drop food in one location they will fly and eat in large numbers usually. This attracts the attention of humans. If the location you are thinking of feeding them at is not near homes or commerical buildings?, I say go for it... What happens when there is homes or commerical buildings nearby the pigeons/doves will hang out on top of the nearest buildings to their food source which creates problems when humans start complaining of their droppings and the number of birds, which in turn can cause them to be harmed....

I think it's wonderful you want to feed them, I also feed a large flock at a nearby school which has had several complaints to the police and school administration, I have been feeding them for over five years and put out food every single night so no one sees me doing so...

Andi

[Trees Gray]

Here is a thread that deals with providing safe feeding locations and more:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=10849

[mountainstorm]

How long until they realize there's more food? Or do I have to go there early in the morning and see where they feed? They haven't touched any of it.

Rach