# Winter



## potters11 (Jul 9, 2006)

This is my first winter with my fantails can anyone tell me ,am I supposed to lock them in their cote now the weather has got cold, as they just sit on my window ledge all night.
One of them died last week and another doesn't seem too well now, he doesn't fly very high and just looks a little weak.

Thanks in advance
Andy


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

potters11 said:


> This is my first winter with my fantails can anyone tell me ,am I supposed to lock them in their cote now the weather has got cold, as they just sit on my window ledge all night.
> One of them died last week and another doesn't seem too well now, he doesn't fly very high and just looks a little weak.
> 
> Thanks in advance
> Andy


Andy, others will be along that have dovecotes. I myself am in the US and have a loft. We never lock our birds inside. The cold weather will not kill a healthy, well fed bird, so I would think that there is something going on with your birds besides the winter weather. Did they use to stay in the Dovecote?
You might want to lock them in until you can determine what health problems they are having and correct that. Good luck. More help will come soon.......


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

Hi Andy,

I'm in NE Lancs - not too far from you!

How old are your fantails? How long have they been in the dovecote? Are they able to get out of the wind when they are in there? Is it quite dry inside? Are you sure that it's predator proof? Sorry - lots of questions - I'm just trying to see why they have abandoned their home. 

My fantails live outside all year round quite happily. I live in a very exposed area but, my dovecote is designed so that the birds can get around the corner from the pophole so they are away from the wind. The birds can withstand the cold but not drafts and damp.

I'm so sorry one of your birds died...can you describe how it was ill - what were the droppings like? was it eating? any signs of it been attacked by a cat or hawk?


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## potters11 (Jul 9, 2006)

Thanks you 2
I had 2 pair and one baby the older pair seem ok 
but I have lost one of the 2 year old birds, and its the baby who looks weak
at the moment. The one that died had watery poo and looked weak when flying, mostly just sat curled up.
there was no signs of it been attacked by a cat or hawk
The babys poo seems ok but seems weak when flying.

(the baby belongs to the younger birds)

I left them in the dovecote about 10 week before releasing them.
the dovecote is dry and out of drafts.
I let my oldest birds out first which used to go back to the cote at night.
when the baby was old enough to fly I let the younger birds out. now none of the birds return to the cote at night. but the older ones do in the day.
they even take twigs etc. in
I put straw in.

I have locked the baby up today as I feel it woldn't be able to get away from 
prediters

Thanks Again 
ANDY


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

So, there were settled to the dovecote...I wonder what made them 'move home'? The only thing I can think of is, if something has been in there and frightened them..a squirrel or cat maybe? Is the dovecote on a post or wall? At least 8' off the ground? A friend of mine had to cover the post in metal and glass sheeting to stop the squirrels!!

It sounds as though there is definitely something going on with your second bird....do you know any experienced pigeon fanciers who might look at it? I'd take it to an avian vet if you can find one (our vets here haven't a clue about pigeons). I hope some of the members experienced in illness can come on and give you advice..I'll give one a 'heads up' to your thread.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Andy,

I'm sorry to hear about your bird dying.

As Renee mnetioned, winter really shouldn't effect a healthy bird, but it definitely will not help a bird with an already compromised immune system, one who is already sick posibly will get worse.

I would suggest you find an avian vet or experienced rehabber/bird fancier as already suggested.

You need to bring the birds in, the ones that are sick. Put them in a warm area inside, away from drafts, on a heating pad (with towel over heating pad). Make sure they are eating and drinking.

If you can get the bird/birds to an avian vet and have a fecal done, and an exam, to get a diagnosis that would be your best bet. Once you know what the exact problem is you can treat the bird, as well as the other birds that have been exposed to this bird.

I would give the sick bird, as well as the healthy ones, a capsule of garlic daily, and also some probiotics. The probiotics do help crowd out bad gut bacteria and can sometimes help them overcome watery poops. 

http://www.affordablesolaray.com/digestive_probiotics.html

The garlic will help build the immune system to enable the bird to feel better, it purifies the blood as well as works like a natural antibiotic, it even kills some parasites.

http://store.thecatalog.com/1790.html


Whe you mentioned the watery poop, that could be a symptom of some diseases and secondary diseases. The probiotics would be a good start there. Also, a tablespoon or two, of apple cider vinegar in a gallon of their drinking water will help keep correct acidity and help multiply good gut bacteria among other things.

http://www.bragg.com/products/applecidervinegar.html

Look down the birds throat and see if there are any unusual looking lesions, that are yellow. Are the eyes or nostrils watery, any open beak breathing going on, how do the poops look? You can moniter all this when they are under your watchful eye 24/7.

The links are actual products I use on my birds, hopefully you can find one similar. 

There are other natural products I use, like Neem oil, and Reishi, all are natural antibiotics and work with the body to strengthen it. I cannot actually recommend any type of drug without an actual diagnosis.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Andy,

I don't want to worry you, but I think that there is something in the UK that is affecting mainly young pigeons, perhaps a virus or a combination like "Young Bird Sickness".

Please bring in any pigeon that looks sick and put it under a heatlamp. Give it one tablet of Spartrix and one of Appertex.

It would also be best to take at least one sick pigeon to the vet to have an informed diagnosis.

There is a flock of feral fantails near me (original owner died) and I care for the sick ones. Lately I have lost a disproportionately large number of my rescues , two of them squeakers, Two were to canker but the rest a mystery.

One of the ones that I managed to pull though had explosive watery poop, a small bit of poop shot out in a stream of water. With that one I gave Appertex and synulox and ensured that it didn't become dehydrated by tubing a rehydration solution into it every 2 hours. 

Cynthia


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## potters11 (Jul 9, 2006)

Thanks everyone for your surgestions unfotunatly the second bird died that night.
My last 3 birds look ok, and strangely have started returning to the cote.
The wife noticed a bit of somethig blue at the side of one of the dead birds beak,so I don't know if they have been eating something they shouldn't have.
they used to go off together in the mornings.

Thanks again everyone all your comments are realy appreciated
ANDY
p.s. I'll keep you posted


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

BLUE!!  

The first thing that comes to mind is slug pellets...I'm sure that you won't be using them but, maybe your birds pick around in neighbours gardens!?

I'm so sorry to read your news. I've got everything crossed for the rest of your birds.


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## potters11 (Jul 9, 2006)

ye I bet your right slug pellets, we usualy get a lot of slugs on the garden but thinking about it I havn't seen any lately.I don't use them but I don't know about the neighbours, most of them are a miserable lot and don't even speak.
I'm going to try to post some pics now if I can. 

And thanks again for all your help
ANDY


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

A terrible, painful death.....I know that you'll have little chance of stopping the neighbours using the pellets but, maybe if you tell them they are killing your birds?
You might try to train the birds to stay at home....every time they land on a neighbours roof throw a tennis ball at them or squirt them with a water gun. Feed them on your lawn, scattering the seed all over, so they have to spend a lot of time searching for it (but only throw down a days supply for each bird or you'll encourage rodents ) Failing that, the only thing I can think of, would be to net the dovecote and contain the birds, it kind of defeats the object of having the dovecote but, I'd do this without hesitation if it meant saving my bird's lives.

Hopefully people won't use the pellets through winter. 

Looking forward to your photos...


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## potters11 (Jul 9, 2006)

Thanks a lot everyone every reply has very helpful and appreciated.
I hope these pics work.
sorry pics too large


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

Oh what a pity.

I downloaded Powertoys for Windows XP, there is an image resizer, you simply right click on the photo and resize it. Do keep trying, we'd love to see your birds.


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## potters11 (Jul 9, 2006)

Thanks all I managed to post my pics they are in the thead called finaly  I know I can't spell 
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=18235


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

Whoops...missed that one!!


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