4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Valkyrie]

The pesky pigeons seem to be gobbling up pellets more than my girls. Does anyone have the feeders that work by foot pressure/release? If so, are wood pigeons still able to get to the food - seeing as they are bantam sized and quite heavy? I'm rather concerned about the contamination - but then there are loads of wild birds here anyway, and am I being a bit too worried over nothing (although I hate the idea of the pigeons scoffing bagfuls of feed) because they free range anyway, so everything is likely to be contaminated in the first place?

[Carol U]

Where do you keep your feeders Koojie? I keep my feeders in the run, even when the chooks are freeranging, and have so far had no problem with pigeons. The girls know where to find them if they're feeling peckish (excuse the pun).

[Valkyrie]

I have one feeder in the run hanging up - the robin easily gets to that and perches on the rim! I have chased out a pigeon twice now - it can't reach the feeder, but I don't like it looking. The other is a bowl that I have outside the back door. I have put it out for the girls - they do eat from it, but if I leave it the pigeons come down, so I have removed it and only throw some out when the girls are up. Cheyenne used to chase them away, but she is in the broody box. The other two just look on! Cheyenne will happily eat from the hanging feeder, the other two are just fussy or lazy, probably both.

[Redwing]

I believe Egluntine has a treadle feeder and finds it effective, hopefully bumping this up will prompt more replies!

 

I have heard that putting the food under a little roof structure not only keeps it dry but discourages other birds frolm eating the food as they can't see around them and feel vulnerable (sp?)

[Valkyrie]

So far the only threat to the pigeons is the greenhouse - they panic once in there, but the cube run seems to be more attractive to them. With regard to the blackbirds and robins they are quite happy with all situations. I did have to put CD's at different heights hanging from the door of the greenhouse to stop birds flying in and damaging themselves and the plants. I also have one dangling in the cube door - which hasn't worked either! I think I have a very determined bunch of birds here. On a brighter note I spotted a pigeon had been run over on the road at the back of our garden - one down 4 to go!

As my girls are huge I don't think they would have problems with the treadle - it might even be of some amusement to them - make them think how to feed themselves instead of thinking how else to manipulate me!