# Need Help Advice



## SquirrelGirl (Jan 28, 2010)

Hi all,
Am a small mammal rehabber over here on the north East Coast. I do not work with pigeons although I have saved a few and other birds in the past. I am not an expert on them though and would appreciate some help. A few people on another board suggested I come here. I'll try to make this short and sweet.
Pigeons have taken over my yard and shed. There is massive amounts of feces everywhere. It is not livable and I cannot enjoy the space or let my dogs out with out them tracking in poo and getting it all in their fur or in the house. There is poo on everything from the BBQ to the fence to the swing set to the ground back there and more. If it weren't so much I would try to tolerate it but I just cannot tolerate this. I am not a mean person, I love ALL animals. I have even given them bread on the extra cold and snowy days here. My dogs are super animal friendly and do not chase. They were trained this way because I do wildlife. The next door dog is so used to them he could care less and the birds are used to dogs and people since its just city life over here. They won't let you touch them but do not fly unless you try to grab them. They are not homing or racing pigeons.
I will wait until it gets warmer out before chasing them out since they have shelter here but once it gets warm they have to go. Its not healthy like this or livable. I need some advice on how to keep them out of the yard, shed, or possibly relocating them.
Also there is one Pigeon who regardless of where the others go , sleep, what they do , is always on his own and always sleeps in the same spot. He is not injured that I can see, can fly, and leaves occasionally, but just wondering if thats normal and if I need to keep an eye on him or anything. I do actually care...
Attached is a photo of what part of the yard looks like due to them. This continues all over. Please don't take this as me being against Pigeons. I am not, just can't keep them in my yard if its gonna be like this.
Please help!


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Are they all standing on the electric or telephone wires overhead and dropping that way?
What is standing overhead for them to drop their dropping?? It is hard to tell you this but stop feeding them and gradually they will find another place to eat and bother you less---and this is hard to do---and I have the same problem as you---Who knows about that single bird---too early to tell---could be a young --could be from another group--could be not feeling well--too early--maybe he thinks he or she found a area to nest in and is just sitting there watching it--they do observe first.....It's snowing here and I have 5 pigeons in front of my loft door waiting for me to eat---Its hard--your heart goes out to them....Stop feeding because believe me you will attract more--and a lot more.....c.hert


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## SquirrelGirl (Jan 28, 2010)

Hi C.Hert
I don't feed them. I just moved here last month. I have only put bread out twice. Once when we had the blizzard and once when it was like zero degrees and everything was frozen. They do not rely on me at all. There is no power line the sit on the top of the swing set or anything around. The BBQ etc. This is actually Inside the shed. They sleep up in the shed too . We have put tarping up but they go around it.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

SquirrelGirl said:


> Hi C.Hert
> I don't feed them. I just moved here last month. I have only put bread out twice. Once when we had the blizzard and once when it was like zero degrees and everything was frozen. They do not rely on me at all. There is no power line the sit on the top of the swing set or anything around. The BBQ etc. This is actually Inside the shed. They sleep up in the shed too . We have put tarping up but they go around it.


Feeding them twice could be part of the reason they keep coming back. Don't feed them at all.

Is a neighbor feeding them? If so they may know that you yard is a no danger zone so they are waiting there until the feeders are out.

Close the shed up so they can't get inside, get a preditor, coyote, fox or big cat, call and play it near the shed or inside. This may help in keeping them away too.


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## SquirrelGirl (Jan 28, 2010)

EgypSwiftLady said:


> Feeding them twice could be part of the reason they keep coming back. Don't feed them at all.
> 
> Is a neighbor feeding them? If so they may know that you yard is a no danger zone so they are waiting there until the feeders are out.
> 
> Close the shed up so they can't get inside, get a preditor, coyote, fox or big cat, call and play it near the shed or inside. This may help in keeping them away too.


They have been here like this before I moved here. Had nothing to do with me feeding them. Its been a problem for a year now says the landlord. None of the neighbors I see are feeding them. I don't plan on ever feeding them again though trust me. 
I live in the city. No predators around here nor can I "get one" haha. I have a cat but she is inside only. There are cats outside , the pigeons don't care. I don't want them hurt either.
I can't close the shed up. Its more like a large garage with no door. Its huge. No way to close it.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

You just moved there and you don't know what the tenent did before you--could have fed the birds all the time or housed them in the shed ?? Have the landlord shut that shed up with a door if it can be tight with no way for birds to get in and never have food in your yard or feed them---wait it out to see if it slims down---they also have some kind of roof wire that swings around (movement) in the wind and suppose to scare birds away and other things...eyes looking at birds--etc--check this out.....and also some kind of wire that fits on roof to stop birds from perching--won't hurt them but they go other places to land--. Foys pigeon supply has these things -go on the internet.c.hert


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

SquirrelGirl;449866
I live in the city. No predators around here nor can I "get one" haha. I have a cat but she is inside only. There are cats outside said:


> It's a preditor recording NOT real animals, either CD or cassette that you put in a player with the volume turned up.
> Even though it's the city you probably have more preditors than you realize sneaking around.
> 
> If this has been an on going problem your landlord should be doing something about it.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Depends on how much you use or intend to use the shed, maybe. That part of the problem may be fixable with netting, if it remains with no door, but it would have to be such that birds would not get trapped in it.

If the lone pigeon roosts in the shed, maybe it's just using good sense  or maybe thinking "good place to have a nest".

If someone before you, as has been suggested, did feed them - not even every day - then human activity around the place may lead them to think they may still get fed. If after excluding them from the shed there is nothing in the yard which is attractive to pigeons, I'd expect them to move on after a while. 

John


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

A couple of us told her to come here from the squirrel board. On the squirrel board she was worried about disease that her dogs can get from the poop and herself. I'm glad they have shelter until spring, that is very nice of you. Its bad enough to lose there home they have had, at least they can have shelter for the winter. How do you know that they aren't racing pigeons? Is there anyway the landlord can get ahold of the old tenants and ask them if they are racing pigeons. How many birds are we talking about? Do they have any bands on there feet? Do you leave near south, New Jersey area or Philadelphia area? maybe I can take a look at them. min


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

I just went to the squirrel board and DON'T take the suggestion of getting a BB gun. I'm sure your smarter than that and more animal friendly than that. On the squirrel board thread you said that they were city pigeons. You know city pigeons look just like homing pigeons. Since they don't fly away right away when you go outside, to me that seems more like they were pet pigeons than feral pigeons. But I may be wrong, lets hope others here can offer other advice. min


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## SquirrelGirl (Jan 28, 2010)

They are just regular city pigeons! NO bands no nothing. The tenant who lived here didn't like animals and hated them and tried shooing them away. Also put up tarping to get them away.. The landlord doesn't know what to do.

I was worried about my dogs possibly getting something but it has already been explained it won't, so not sure why you would bring that up. My concern is getting them gone in a humane way so I don't have to have bird crap on everything including my dogs feet, fur and in my house. 

Once again can't close up shed/garage however the netting sounds like a possible plan! I am also going to get the things that spin in the wind and try putting them up. 

The cd recording sounds a bit unrealistic. How am I supposed to play that loud outside all the time? Sorry but not too probable. I'm sure the neighbors would complain of the noise too haha.
We do have predators here, don't get me wrong, but most of them feed off the garbage etc. Its pretty sheltered back here. The only thing that comes back here is a cat who jumps off the fence to get in and she never bothers them.


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## SquirrelGirl (Jan 28, 2010)

They are just regular pigeons that fly around , stay on the roof occasionally, peck at garbage then come back to settle at night and morning but in the process they trash my yard. You're so insistant though. You are more then welcome to come get them if you want lol.
I don't think Pointy meant to actually shoot them, and there are some bb guns that only throw the bb's and don't break skin. It depends on how much you pump them. I don't think she meant harm.


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## Guest (Jan 28, 2010)

Can you post some pictures of the birds where they are roosting/perching? It may help to figure out a way to get them to leave. Are there any nests in the area?


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## SquirrelGirl (Jan 28, 2010)

I took a short video but my phone won't let me send anything to email right now. They are perching on anything available in the shed area. Mainly the swingset top. They are planning on trashing the swingset but its not an easy task. Its cemented to the ground I believe.
They also perch on top of the BBQ, or anything put in there. I think I will just be looking into relocating them, and then buying some netting. Seems the only idea that night actually work.


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## PoppyFieldVet (Apr 9, 2009)

Your pigeons have found somewhere comfortable to rest and roost by the sounds of it. Feeding may have introduced them and now they're comfortable they don't want to leave. I can only think you need to encourage them to rest elsewhere. Getting rid of the swing looks to be a good idea as the poop seems to be concentrated around there.


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

They make a strip of little spikey things that business owners put on there signs and there building so pigeons won't rest there. I will do some research and see how much they cost. I totally agree that there is A LOT of poop and you shouldn't have to live that way. And yes, looking at the picture it looks like a big concrete area and probably in concrete. You can always have a person cut the legs off the swing set at the concrete, and then put a plant on top of that spot because it might leave sharp metal from the swing. But I totally agree, the swing set needs to go. min


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

We really need to come together and help her out. Can someone come up with something that she can do? I told her to come here from the squirrel board, confident that someone can come up with a solution because people on the squirrel board couldn't. Please, Please, Please. min


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Mindy said:


> We really need to come together and help her out. Can someone come up with something that she can do? I told her to come here from the squirrel board, confident that someone can come up with a solution because people on the squirrel board couldn't. Please, Please, Please. min


I have suggested that she could put netting over the place where there should be a door, to exclude the birds. If they have nowhere to go except an open yard, which offers no food supply, it's reasonable to expect that they'll get the message and move on.

John


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Mindy: We have her the best advice we could--Don't feed the birds--find a way if possible for the landlord to close that garage and wait for awhile to see if the pigeons slim down---by not feeding---there are no overhead wires for them to sit on so that is not the problem just seems to be that garage type of structure and I would certainly move that swing set up to the house further so that the birds can't sit on it and ruin it --if it isn't already ruined (the seats anyway)--she just moved in there and really don't know what the prior situation was although she has inquired about it--but don't feed them and if all else fails---try to trap a few--but then what would she do then?? Just don't encourage them---no food no water and scare them with a broom everytime she goes out there plus get some pigeon scare tools like the swinging wire or the eyes looking at birds from Foys---she has all the information she needs---so stop begging people to help her out when we already did --now its her turn to be proactive..c.hert


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

Actually the landlord should be doing something about this. 

She could complain about this problem to the city...


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Actually I think you are right Egypswiftlady...c.hert..


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## Biveon100 (Jan 8, 2010)

you can catch one and make it as your own. Or make loft where they can sleep and poo in. Me too, i cant turn my back on a animal in need.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Your a softy like me Biveon100 c.hert


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

Okay, I will stop begging people for more advice. The reason why I was begging is because I just visited the squirrel board prior to writing that and some idiot suggested a BB Gun. I know the girl won't use the bb gun, she has already told me that, but to suggest it I was alittle worried that maybe she didn't have enough ideas to get rid of them. With 10,000 member and only a couple people answered I just thought maybe someone had a different approach and have been in that situation. But believe me, my begging days are over. min


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

She had all the advice that we can give her about the situation it is time for her to proactive and let us know what she is going to do about it and you all through the script have meant nothing but good for her but we can only do so much for we a lot of us gave our best advice--its up to her now to either reject or do it---sometimes one can really run something into the ground here this is just my opinion and you Mindy are a beautiful person you really care about things--but your are sensitive too--thats fine thats just your make up and a lot of other people--me as well.....


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## SquirrelGirl (Jan 28, 2010)

um I DON'T feed them. I did the one time in the snow and ice which didn't bring this problem. They have been here for years. The neighbors have been here for 5 years , same yard, and said it has gotten worse over the past few years and no one that they no of is or was feeding them. The person who lived here before me I KNOW and did not feed them. In fact he still does the plumbing work for the house, I talked to him and he said he tried to get rid of them as well. The landlord doesn't know what to do and said I can try whatever I wanted. He lives two states away and well what more can he do?
I am going to try and relocate them, and use netting. The garage thing cannot be closed up. The swingset cannot be just moved it is cemented into the ground and they are planning on getting rid of it. It is already ruined. I'm going to look for the wire stuff with the spikes on it also. However I didn't want to chase them out until it warms up a bit, I believe this is the only shelter they know of.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

SquirrelGirl I think your thinking now and make it uncomfortable for them scaring them with brooms, hoses, and small pebbles not hurt them but to scare them and wait it out maybe by warmer weather they will leave for another place and if not trap them but you have to take them really far away because they will come back--but thats a last resort see if everything else you try works---good luck--hope the problem abates..c.hert


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Well the birds have probably been nesting in the shed and near for atime. NOW getting rid of them easy way is after dark get a flashlight perhaps even a fishing net Catch them Box them up Have them taken to a location where there is a good flock ovf ferals. Best miles away. Then fix the shed where they can not get in If they are nesting on the house block the areas where they nest. Not feeding them is not an answer because they have already made this there home base. They would go else where and eat then return. Remove them to a new location. Spikes do not work long And sometime a pigeon gets impaled dieing on them. Stiky tracts work a short time.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

John_D said:


> I have suggested that she could put netting over the place where there should be a door, to exclude the birds. If they have nowhere to go except an open yard, which offers no food supply, it's reasonable to expect that they'll get the message and move on.
> 
> John


John is right. The shed is their home. Block their access to it, and no feeding, and they will have no reason to hang around. All you can do. If you relocate them, they will still be able to home back for quite some distance. Even ferals have homing abilities.


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## Biveon100 (Jan 8, 2010)

I know this sounds stupid, but how about you leave some food somewhere close so they would eat and poo there instead.


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

Actually maybe that isn't a bad idea. Each day go further and further away. I know the lady in Canada did it when her apartment complex complained so she just started feeding them each day a little further and further each time until she got them where she wanted them to be. They left her apartment complex so maybe it will work. If I can find the thread she talked about on here. But the shed has to be boarded up or netted up because they will come back if they know that is available. Also, I didn't know that the pigeons got impaled on the spikey things. So that wouldn't be the option I would use. I know I suggested it but I didn't know that. min


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