London Expert Wanted!

[pward]

Members may recall that London Mayor is trying to rid Trafalgar Square of its internationally famous pigeons.

For those unaware of the details, please visit www.savethepigeons.org.

We now desperately need a London-based pigeon expert who can visit the Square at least once a week at 7.30am to monitor the health and wellbeing of the flock as the feed given to them is gradually reduced. In short, we want the pigeons to remain, the Mayor wants to stop the food now and starve them so we’ve met halfway and are reducing the food gradually, but we want the amount by which the food is reduced to be supervised by an expert. Anyone who can help, please email me at savethepigeons@hotmail.com.

The flock of 1,500 is currently being supported by 65kg of food per day and has been now for some months. Does anyone feel qualified to offer an opinion as to the minimum period over which the food can be reduced without causing the birds harm?

Thanks!

Peter

[dano7]

If my math is right, 65kg is about 143 pounds; 1 ounce per bird/day - 16 birds per pound and you feed 2200 birds. If that is the ration I don't see the problem. If this ration is to be cut, what is the final number?

Just a thought: the quality of the feed will influence the results greatly as the supply tightens. I will make the following assumptions: you feed them a good pigeon seed mix with peas, milo, etc. and not just corn; you don't need to give them grit or greens which they can find all over the country.

If the feed is distributed in one central operation, you can add a great deal of food value to a given weight of seed. once a week stir in a cup of fish oil, cod liver oil, or olive oil (alternate and more in the winter). Mix this well into the seeds and there will be no difference in weight and the oil will be spread very thin. This will provide food value in itself but it will allow you to insert vitamins and preventive medication as well. You can add an avian vitamin in powder form which will stick to the seeds when stirred in. Every three months you can add a canker medicine (powder) to the oiled seeds to control the most common pigeon ailment. You can add a wormer twice a year. With the right program the birds will increase in numbers and in health. And medicating the flock is not only not a violation of the government's position, it could be a selling point as a boost to the general hygiene of all the denizens of Londinium.

[pward]

Many thanks for such a quick reply. The situation is that, under the supervision of a scientist, the food was reduced, over the past year, from 150kg daily to 65kg. Samples of the birds were weighed, behavioural observations made, etc, to ensure the reduction wasn't too fast to prevent the birds starving.

The Mayor has now stopped the scientist's employment, but expects us to continue reducing the food to zero. We now have no-one to monotor the impact as we continue to reduce the feed and don't know how quickly to reduce it. The Mayor expects us to reduce it to nothing in two years, but for all we know we may be able to do it in a year or it may need to be done over 5 years to prevent the birds starving - that's the unknown quantity.

The information on additives is hugely useful - at the moment it is mixed corn. We'll ensure that is reviewed in the light of your suggestions, for which I'm really grateful.

Thanks again,

Peter