[Limow]

Hi,

My dovecote is finally erected! I think it looks gorgeous

Now, the question is what to do next..... wait to see 'if' the adult white homers adopt it, or their youngster who sleeps on the roof of our house adopts it. Mum and Dad do live elsewhere nearby but although their youngster goes with them sometimes, he is usually in the tree behind the dovecote. The parents come back a lot and are usually sitting on the roof or cooing in my gutter box on the front of the house, so hopefully they have baby plans and presumably the babies will hang around here like the youngster does...

Yesterday I was able to handfeed the cock bird again - my what a beauty he is. The back of his neck is an iridescent pinky brown, just gorgeous. I moved the bird table that he does feed off next to the dovecote in the hope that he might hop across! The youngster had a go at landing on the bird table yesterday but didn't quite make it (Dad was in the way!) hopefully his landing skills will improve soon (he only fledged 1.5 weeks ago).

Or..... instead of waiting to see and hoping, would I be better to get some pigeons and net them into the cote in the hope that by the time the netting can come off, the youngster and new youngsters might join forces with the ones I bought?

Sorry for all the questions! If this all seems double dutch, please look at my earlier posts where I explain how this whole situation came about!

Liz

 

[rpalmer]

I can't answer your questions but I can say that you created a beautiful dovecote.

 

[horseart4u]

you got feed next to it i think they will be curious and check it out sooner then you think looks great..

 

[diwaj]

Are you sure its safe from cats & other predators.

 

[horseart4u]

it should be fine there is a GUARD around the post under the cote to help keep cats & squirrels from climbing up it..

 

[drifter]

If you lived near me I would tell you that the sparrows would take possesion of it in a hurry.

 

[Crazy Pete]

I think horseart4u is right they will check it out, once they do move the feeder away 10 ft a cat can jump that far. The feeder is made of wood a hungry cat will get on that.
Dave

 

[horseart4u]

I think horseart4u is right they will check it out, once they do move the feeder away 10 ft a cat can jump that far. The feeder is made of wood a hungry cat will get on that.
Dave

i agree.. once they do start showing interest move the feeder away....then just think you'll have your own flock soon enough.

 

[spirit wings]

usually I have seen people use a big net to drap over it to keep the doves/pigeons in near the cote and feed and water them in there.. and then after they start using and perching on it after say a few weeks you remove the netting.

 

[Limow]

Hi,

Yes as soon as they start using the feed table attached to the dovecote (which is at least 5ft off the ground) I will move the other table far away and use bamboo poles with chicken wire around the base to prevent my cat from being able to access it. It is further away from the trees and bushes then it looks. My cat (who has bells and a bird scarer on her collar) hasn't ever attempted to jump onto the ordinary bird table but obviously I don't intend to take any chances. For now though, it's slowly slowly in the hope that they discover the nice food there. These birds are living wild so I can't 'net them in' - I just have to hope that they will adopt it, or at least that the youngsters will - I feel so sorry for the fledgling asleep on my roof every night with no shelter I can't think of any birds that we have around here (UK) that would pose a threat and currently the pigeons and the squirrels co-exist on and around the ordinary bird table with no problems.

I am attaching a photo of the fledgling where he sleeps every night

Do you think I should wait and see what happens or get some new birds that might eventually integrate?

Liz

 

[Limow]

The only cat that ever comes in my garden is mine.

Are doves just fancy white homing pigeons?

If I did get some birds to live in the dovecote I would prefer not to get all white as I like the variety of markings. I see on this forum that there are lots of different types of pigeon, but I would want some purely for pleasure, so what would you suggest (if I go down this route?).

Thanks for any responses.

Liz

 

[whytwings]

Heya Liz

I think your dovecote looks absolutely beautiful !!!

 

[Limow]

Thank you!!
But bloody typical, the birds haven't been around so much these past few days

 

[spirit wings]

Thank you!!
But bloody typical, the birds haven't been around so much these past few days

I would get some new young stock..perhaps even homing pigeons and use a net as said before..that is how they home them to the cote.. you would feed and water them under the net for a few weeks then take the net off..the birds you have now may join in when they see the others using it. Also, some will get the garden doves..the ones that are white they are pigeons but called doves..some will get a pair of these..put them under the net and wait till they hatch a few clutches of babies and then remove the net.. usually they will stay, esp the babies because they were hatched there.

 

[whytwings]

Thank you!!
But bloody typical, the birds haven't been around so much these past few days

hehe......I think it's going to be a slow process , but gee .......once they do discover it , it will be like living at the SAVOY compared to what they are used to

 

[Limow]

Thank you Spirit Wings, I think I will do that and hope my visitors jump on board eventually too:

Whytwings, the Savoy, ha! Especially since we are serving safflower seeds!