# Help I have too many



## gcpickle (Oct 11, 2011)

Hi all - I have come here in the past usuallly to ask specific questions regarding huirt or sick ferals I have found and tried to save/help. You have been very kind so today I basically need some moral support.

Some Background: 
I live in a condo - at the end of a grassy courtyard area. Luckily my neighbors are very nice and don't seem to mind that I feed the feral pigeons. It is pretty secluded and most of the rest of the condo community, I think doesn't really notice. I work 10 hours a day. Every morning and evening I hose down my patio to keep the area very clean. I pick up feathers, and just generally try to keep a "low profile" as far as the pigoens are concerned. It is 108 degrees here most days here so I make sure I fill up a bowl for drinking water in the morning and in the evening I give them a larger bowl for bathing - which I bring in after dark. It started with 10 or so about a year ago, now it seems I have 30 or more every AM and PM. They wait for me to come home. I had hoped I could keep the flock to a minimum but it has gotten a bit out of control. I am buying 25 Lb. bags of wild seed weekly and bread galore. I just can't help myself, I feel so sorry for them and it makes me so happy to see them eating and have a place to find clean, cool water to drink. Most people in Las Vegas are mean to them. 

No one has said anythuing yet but I worry every day somepone will complain and the association will either get and exterminator or I will get in trouble,.


I keep telling myself just stop feeding them and they will go away. Is this true? How long must I go without feeding them before they go elsewhere. I feel guilty - they don't understand. If I had my own home I wouln't care how many came but I have to be sensible about this.

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## November-X-Scourge (May 12, 2011)

try feeding them less, maybe? I think that would encourage them to go find food elsewhere too.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

gcpickle said:


> Hi all - I have come here in the past usuallly to ask specific questions regarding huirt or sick ferals I have found and tried to save/help. You have been very kind so today I basically need some moral support.
> 
> Some Background:
> I live in a condo - at the end of a grassy courtyard area. Luckily my neighbors are very nice and don't seem to mind that I feed the feral pigeons. It is pretty secluded and most of the rest of the condo community, I think doesn't really notice. I work 10 hours a day. Every morning and evening I hose down my patio to keep the area very clean. I pick up feathers, and just generally try to keep a "low profile" as far as the pigoens are concerned. It is 108 degrees here most days here so I make sure I fill up a bowl for drinking water in the morning and in the evening I give them a larger bowl for bathing - which I bring in after dark. It started with 10 or so about a year ago, now it seems I have 30 or more every AM and PM. They wait for me to come home. I had hoped I could keep the flock to a minimum but it has gotten a bit out of control. I am buying 25 Lb. bags of wild seed weekly and bread galore. I just can't help myself, I feel so sorry for them and it makes me so happy to see them eating and have a place to find clean, cool water to drink. Most people in Las Vegas are mean to them.
> ...


That could cause a problem and get them in trouble. If they are noticed they could call an exterminator..so feed them less each day till you don't feed any and they will go elsewhere.


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## gcpickle (Oct 11, 2011)

Thank you both for your suggestions - I have noticed that after the food is gone in the morning most of them do go away, a few hang around and bathe but they come back at 5:30pm like clockwork - last night there must've been 40 of them. I will stop the seed and just put a little bread - they sure love the seed. Maybe that will encourage them to start looking elsewhere. Thanks again.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

gcpickle said:


> Thank you both for your suggestions - I have noticed that after the food is gone in the morning most of them do go away, a few hang around and bathe but they come back at 5:30pm like clockwork - last night there must've been 40 of them. I will stop the seed and just put a little bread - they sure love the seed. Maybe that will encourage them to start looking elsewhere. Thanks again.


back them off the seed slowly..less and less each day till you are done.


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## gcpickle (Oct 11, 2011)

Ok - I will do that - I sure enjoy taking care of them - I wish things could be different.  THX


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

I know it is an awful situation to be in, when rules of society come in the way of our desire to help these birds. One way is to keep keeping the low profile, and hope that things will be alright. I know this is an option with no predictability for the future, but as animals and birds all well know, life as such is unpredictable. If one fine day you stopped feeding, I doubt whether the pigeons will go hungry. They will just go searching for food elsewhere.

On the other hand, when we think of creating a predictable situation which is less scary, I think the best option, like others said, will be to make them less dependent day by day, until one fine day they no longer need your support. Because even though neighbors look very harmless, you never know.
Anyway I just want to say that I completely understand your feelings, as I have had to become the black sheep in society many times because of the fact that I cared for animals. Hence unless you have such a good rapport with your neighbors that you know that in case of any issue they will discuss with you personally rather than complain officially, it would be best to keep yourself ( and the pigeons) safe from possible harm.
Wishing your pigeons good luck!!


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## gcpickle (Oct 11, 2011)

Wow Kunju - Thank you for your reply. You actually brought tears to my eyes. I was hoping the people on this website would sympathize as I often feel helpless that no one understand my love for these birds and all animals. It brings me so much joy in the evenings when I get home from work to fill their water up and feed them. I watch the interactions between them and have come to recognize certain birds that come daily. I also have a hummingbird feeder in the tree outside my patio and have 3 & 4 hummers at a time feeeding there. It is my little bit of nature in the concrete jungle I live in. 

I am pretty friendly with all 3 of my neighbors and I think they would ask me to stop if it bothered them. They see my efforts to keep things clean and sometimes they even put out bread. I just wish there wern't so many birds. The noise of their wings when they take off if something startles them is really loud. 

My cats (4) sit at the glass door and also enjoy "watching" them - LOL. Anyway thank you again - it is nice to have a kinship with someone who feels like I do. My co-workers think I'm nuts, but they always come to me with animal dilemas. My family is just as crazy about animals as I am, so they get me. 

I htink I will just slowly try to lessen the food and see how it goes.


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## BHenderson (Sep 8, 2011)

The first thing I should point out is I am in the UK not the USA, but I have got into trouble with my local council because I fed too many birds, and also treated the injuries of those that needed help that I could catch.
I had a long battle with the council and luckily I was able to find a solicitor who was sympathetic with what I was doing. What she said to me actually got me to try and get the best of both worlds. I had to claim the birds I was treating as pets, and I had to stop feeding the birds outside until the big numbers went down. What the solicitor explained is if I can get the numbers down low, I can still sneakily feed a few in hidden places, and I can still keep an eye out for injured birds. The most important thing to me is treating the ones that are obviously sick or in pain. I was very reluctant to do this but kept to the rules.
For the time being the council has stopped writing to me. I am not convinced it is all over yet and if I make a mistake they may still try and take me to court, but it is probably the best deal I am going to get.

I thought I would tell you this story so maybe you can take the precautions I took without having to wait for the trouble to start with whoever is in charge of your housing.

Brian.


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## gcpickle (Oct 11, 2011)

Thank you Brian for your reply. Interesting that you are in the UK. I guess people all around the world encounter pigeon prejudice.

I get what you are saying about getting the numbers down low, and then sneaking a few hidden places. I like the idea. 

I am going to slowly lessen the amount of food I put out until the numbers are managable again. Then at least I can still help a few. 

Thanks for sharing your story.


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## kunju (Mar 14, 2012)

Glad to know that my words gave you support
Actually I have taken many such 'risks' in my life, standing by what I felt was right. Sometimes I used to go by the conviction that anything well-intended has to work out in my favor. Or you can say - Trusting Destiny. Other times, I have taken 'practical' decisions too. Of course with a sick animal, there is no option but to face all possible opposition.

And I feel a lot like you do - being caught in a concrete jungle, and being dependent on animals for meaningful communion. I know I cannot live without animals and trees and fresh air. Yesterday I happened to see the poster of a cow being slaughtered, and my heart was heavy the whole day.

I think you are blessed to be able to feel for your birds. And I think you are blessed with quite good neighbors too. Whatever decision you make, make it from your heart, and you will never repent it

I feel good too that there is someone who feels like I do. As one of the greatest animal lovers here in India said - Loving animals is not for the faint-hearted, it takes great courage to love. So lets keep going and keep doing in our silent ways !


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