2023 Youngbirds Free

[Buster121]

That's great news, Buster.
8 babies is better than none.
Hopefully as the days get lighter they will settle down.

There is 9 but 1 is one I was going to keep as is few days older than the others, only couple left to hatch now and that will be it for this year, need another 4 in next couple days to fulfill requirements

[Buster121]

OK so today I found a dead mouse in my aviary, this proves 2 things 1. I have mice and 2. the poison works

[Buster121]

Of course you have mice. Anyone who has animals and grain to feed them on is going to have mice, and or rats. We all do.
I try to mouse proof everything and keep the feed in bins, but there's mouse droppings under the bins when I sweep out the shed.
They are determined little buggers.

Did have rats a while ago but not really seen any signs for a while now

[Buster121]

Pleased to say the egg I found on one of the perches and I stuck it under a pair of old ones to see what happened has hatched if it is off what I think it could be the parents are a black and a red

[Buster121]

Mice aren’t so much of a problem. Rats are. In 1994 when I moved down to Cornwall I had the pigeons in an old tin garage for a while until I got my loft up. As this was in the spring and all the birds were together I did have the odd pairs pair up and lay. Rats could quite easily get in. One day I had a hen sitting on eggs on the floor that lost an eye trying to stop a rat getting her eggs.

I remember you having real problems with Rats when you moved your loft to Stanhope farm too Andy !!!
When I was on the farm I've had rats kill youngsters in the nest as well as taking eggs, I just keep poison down all the time now, they randomly start taking it for a few days then stop again so I always know when they are around.

I have poison and traps all year and still get them

[Buster121]

I remember you having real problems with Rats when you moved your loft to Stanhope farm too Andy !!!
When I was on the farm I've had rats kill youngsters in the nest as well as taking eggs, I just keep poison down all the time now, they randomly start taking it for a few days then stop again so I always know when they are around.

I have poison and traps all year and still get them

Yeah I still get them as once you kill off one lot then another move in, it's just a constant cycle.

Aint it just

[Buster121]

Andy sent you a pm

[Buster121]

And on it continues found nest bowl and eggs smashed on floor this morning along with some eggs close to chipping, getting really peed off now with it all

[Buster121]

Such a shame Steve. Really don’t know what to say. Very infuriating for you. I had one dead youngster in a nest on the floor yesterday. Nest mate is very small so probably not going to be any good. Touch wood all others coming on nicely. Most have now been rung.

Always a shame to see this, Other one may thrive bit better now single Andy unless you already moved it on

[Buster121]

Steve, I was going to suggest that you get some small mesh and shut the boxes up so no fighting can occur. Then a horrible thought occurred. If no rats and mice can get in the shed, but the stock birds are throwing the nest bowls and eggs and babies out of the boxes, when was the last time you cleaned out the loft into all the corners and gave the shed a proper spraying with insecticide?
I may be wrong, because i have been before, but I wonder whether you have an infestation of red mite in your shed?
Don't dismiss it.
A huge number of red mite can live in the cracks and crevices, and come out and torment the pigeons.

Not seen any signs but will have a closer look, lofts are cleaned every day including corners walls swept down every few weeks not sprayed anything in a while but will look into it, Thanks Murray