# freaked out!!!



## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

when i was at work my mom called me one of my 8 pigeon is dead feather everywhere.
i was shocked! 
than the next day i clean up the feather and stuff. when i let the flock out they was so freaked! like so scare of everything, they wont even land on the ground. and when every leaf fall or noise goes on they fly everywhere.

what can i do to help?
it been like this for days now almost a week.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

KEEP YOUR PIGEONS IN FOR NOW! If you live in an area where hawks are, then letting them out is just going to get more of them killed. If it's some other predator, then the result will be the same. Knowing where you are and what your surroundings are like would help our members to give you good advice.

Terry


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

well i do have muscovy duck and they do chase down hawk that fly to the ground.... hoping they are there the whole time . beside i want my pigeon to fly freely


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## StanelyPidge09 (May 22, 2009)

Well if the hawk is hungry enough and annoyed enough they will try to kill your ducks too. I have heard it happen before. Also, I think TAWhatley is advising you to keep them in just for now... temporarily, not forever. If you don't, the hawk will take advantage of their scared/frazzled state and kill more. The pigeons will be fine if they have to be grounded for a week (or whatever time frame is necessary). They are probably still scared because they can see or sense that the hawk is still hanging around the area. They are smart birds. If you want to keep your pigeons safe and calm then you should keep them in the loft.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

blongboy said:


> well i do have muscovy duck and they do chase down hawk that fly to the ground.... hoping they are there the whole time . beside i want my pigeon to fly freely


YOU might want your birds to fly freely, but if there's a predator around your birds DO NOT want to be out there flying. Their not stupid, they'd rather be safe, hiding in the loft.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

were they attacked outside the loft or inside??
if they were out i would keep them in for a while and hopefully the hawk will move on or you will probably lose more birds.
if they were in the loft you need to find out and block the area where the predator got in


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## windmill Ranch (Sep 18, 2009)

Remember Hawks and cat's can and do reach inside of the pens also. I was at a friends 3 days ago. A Hawk stuck his foot down and got one of his dove's. It had to let it go. But, he told me the other day it got one from the side of the pen. Jim


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## StanelyPidge09 (May 22, 2009)

That is true. I saw a cooper's hawk reach in and grab a dove through a flight cage at a wildlife rehab center, it couldn't get the dove out but it did kill it. Maybe you should invest in adding more protection around your loft if the pigeon was killed inside the loft.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

StanelyPidge09 said:


> That is true. I saw a cooper's hawk reach in and grab a dove through a flight cage at a wildlife rehab center, it couldn't get the dove out but it did kill it. Maybe you should invest in adding more protection around your loft if the pigeon was killed inside the loft.



What a good idea. ...1/4 inch hardware cloth would work very well to go over your existing flight.


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

sadly my tumbler just die i guess it was last night .....stupid hawk (i hate them) 
4 now on no more tumbler and roller just homers 

ya know today was the day i planed to take picture of him to put on this site ... what bad luck i have


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Did something get inside your loft during the night?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You may want to let them fly free, but you should listen to your birds. They're smart. They know a predator is around, and that they are in danger. Keep them in for a while. Better they are safe than dead. If you let them free fly, and you are at work, there really isn't anything you can do to protect them. Even if you leave the loft open for them to get back inside, a hawk can just follow them in. There is no way to calm your birds if they know there is a predator around and you have them outside of the loft. They are smart to be scared.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Do you leave the loft open during the night?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Hawks don't go into a loft at night. Did this happen during the night?

Whatever it was that killed your birds are just doing what comes naturally and so in a way they ...that creature is an innocent. The burden is on all of us to protect our birds from predators. That being said, I really do understand how heart broken you are and angry too. I have the same thing happen to me and I was beside myself with grief.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

At night a variety of animals can get inside the loft to kill/injure the birds if you do not lock it up tight. Raccoons, opossums, owls, cats, rats mostly. But if there is an entrance big enough and low enough (or if the wire is weak to where they can break through), dogs, foxes, and skunks (they'll eat eggs) can get in.


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

Jay3 said:


> Do you leave the loft open during the night?


no ... never


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Did something get inside your loft during the night?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Charis said:


> Hawks don't go into a loft at night. Did this happen during the night?
> 
> Whatever it was that killed your birds are just doing what comes naturally and so in a way they ...that creature is an innocent. The burden is on all of us to protect our birds from predators. That being said, I really do understand how heart broken you are and angry too. I have the same thing happen to me and I was beside myself with grief.


No, hawks don't go into the loft at night, but he had said that one of his eight birds was killed, I think during the day. Then he said a bird dead this morning. And he mentioned now having 4 birds. So I'm wondering if something other than a hawk got in during the night. That's why I was asking if he closes it up at night, or just leaves it open. I'm confused. How many birds are left of the 8?


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

Blong - you posted first yesterday AM - and today you say _yet another one_ is dead. You HAVE to keep the birds lN _and_ protect the flights\loft - _*immediately *._ Obviously a predator has figured your setup out ! No love loss here for haws - nevertheless it might have been a _rat or even a raccoon _ You need to secure their enclosure or move them to a safer place ASAP


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Jaye said:


> Blong - you posted first yesterday AM - and today you say yet another one is dead. You HAVE to eep the birds lN and protect the flights\loft - _*immediately *._ Obviously a predator has figured your setup out ! lt might have been a rat or even a raccoon


It sure could have been. That's what I was thinking too.

If you are willing to post a picture of your loft, I'm sure many of us will have some constructive advice about how you can predator proof.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That would be a good idea.


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## becege (Mar 12, 2003)

*Freaked Out*

Leave your birds in for a week or so.Don't let them out in the morning or early afternoon. Hawks feed then. They have usually caught something to eat by 3 p.m. They should not be interested in your birds by then. I fly mine about an hour or two before sunset. Here in the Midwest that is 5 or 6 in the summer and 3 p.m. now during the winter. I lost no birds to hawk attacks this year. Only had one attack at 4:15pm. this fall and the hawk was unsuccessful. I fly Oriental Rollers . Other fliers tell me the same thing, fly in the late afternoon. If you just want birds to fly at will around the yard all day, those days are gone, too many hawks.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

how come blong isn't answering any of the questions.
1. where they killed inside the loft or outside when they were flying free??????????


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2009)

all I will say is that if you want your birds to live you will keep them in and secure the loft to keep them safe .. I have a cooper that visits my loft daily and if I dint have 1/2 inch wire cloth I would have way more stressed an injured pigeons


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

Jay3 said:


> No, hawks don't go into the loft at night, but he had said that one of his eight birds was killed, I think during the day. Then he said a bird dead this morning. And he mentioned now having 4 birds. So I'm wondering if something other than a hawk got in during the night. That's why I was asking if he closes it up at night, or just leaves it open. I'm confused. How many birds are left of the 8?


7 of my 8 are left


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

Charis said:


> It sure could have been. That's what I was thinking too.
> 
> If you are willing to post a picture of your loft, I'm sure many of us will have some constructive advice about how you can predator proof.


i will show ya picture tommor ...it not the biggest loft but it's ok


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

blongboy said:


> 7 of my 8 are left


Thanks for clearing that up. Appreciate it.


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2009)

just so you know once winter is in full swing the hawks rarely leave til they wipe you out or you decide to keep them in and even then they still make their daily visits


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

LokotaLoft said:


> just so you know once winter is in full swing the hawks rarely leave til they wipe you out or you decide to keep them in and even then they still make their daily visits


really i didn't know that ..good to know ....


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

altgirl35 said:


> *how come blong isn't answering any of the questions.*
> 1. where they killed inside the loft or outside when they were flying free??????????


As I read this, I wondering the same thing - not giving a whole lot of info here so that we can try to help


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I believe he is going to try to post a picture today. We'll see.


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

i know my loft is very small kinda dirty now cause it's too cold for me to go clean it. i do it everyday...


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

this is my white female homer ..she is the only homer i have now still looking for a male for her but it kinda hard to get my hand on a homer in NC ..... so i'm waiting for the pigeon extravaganza ...but they always have to postponed due to weather 2 times now. she live by herself on the small loft next to my other pigeon. my other pigeon don't like her at all for some reason.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Size of the loft doesn't matter as much as the "type" of fencing.
RATS can get thru that fencing that you have. And they will come in at night and kill your birds!
I lost half my birds last year to Norway Rats!! I will never get over that!
They found a couple of loose staples and pushed their way thru. You really should cover that fencing with 1/2 or 1/4 inch mesh, and keep your birds inside to calm down. They need to feel safe.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes. Rats and mice can easily get through that wire. You could cover it with 1/2" hardware cloth. Any holes near where the roof and walls meet, or the floor and walls meet, they can also get in. You can cover those holes with a strip of hardware cloth also. 1/4" or 1/2". Even mice getting in can give your birds salmonella/paratyphoid. Believe me, it costs very little, and helps to insure the safety of your birds. Very worth it.


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

Jay3 said:


> Yes. Rats and mice can easily get through that wire. You could cover it with 1/2" hardware cloth. Any holes near where the roof and walls meet, or the floor and walls meet, they can also get in. You can cover those holes with a strip of hardware cloth also. 1/4" or 1/2". Even mice getting in can give your birds salmonella/paratyphoid. Believe me, it costs very little, and helps to insure the safety of your birds. Very worth it.


i will do it when i get my next paid check!!!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

So blongboy, it wasn't clear. You had a bird get killed outside your loft. Did you also find one dead INSIDE the loft?


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

Jay3 said:


> So blongboy, it wasn't clear. You had a bird get killed outside your loft. Did you also find one dead INSIDE the loft?


it was outside ... i think it carried my pigeon kinda far..... like 100 feet from the loft


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well, I'm sorry about your bird.Leaving them out all day is dangerous. And when a hawk finds that they are there, he'll keep coming back.


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