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I regularly get ask for advice
on homing doves so I have added this information to assist the new
dove owner.
Garden + Fantail pigeons are
very easy to look after , you will need to home your doves in a
suitable dovecote, and they will need your daily attention during
the homing period. It is a useful time to get to know your birds and
for them to get used to you and the environment around them.
When you get your new doves, they need to become accustomed to their
new home and to their surroundings, and to establish themselves as a
new colony in your dovecote. This usually takes around six weeks and
is called the "homing period". It involves confining the
birds to the dovecote
There are two methods you can
use, the homing net , a large net draped over your dovecote to form
a tent approx 10m x 12m , hold the edges down with some planks
or bricks , the doves can fly around into and out of the dovecote,
Homing net erected over
pole cote , secured with bricks
But if you have cats and fox's then I personally prefer the second
method , the homing run. This is a wire cage that you
attach to the dovecote approx 3ft x 2 ft x 2ft. It allows access to
one nest hole of the dovecote and has a hinged door for feeding and
watering the birds during homing. Grit is required by the
birds for digestion and it is important that they have access to
this while they are confined above the ground, I recommend Pickstone
grit available from most good pigeon feed suppliers.
 
photos of dovecote with homing run attached ,
courtesy of Martin Longbottom,
I recommend you keep your
doves in their homing run or net for six weeks , or better still
wait till they have a set of young to rear, with either method , it
is essential to check your doves twice a day for food and water ,
this may be a chore if your dovecote is high up , but it must be
done. it also lets your doves get accustomed to you.
after the six week homing
period of confinement, let only one bird out , so it mate acts as a
decoy to attract it back to the dovecote, after it has returned for
about a week , swap the birds over and allow the second bird to home
to its mate, when you are satisfied both birds are homing to the
cote , then you can let both birds out together.
whilst this advice is a tried
and tested method for many years by thousands of dove keepers all
over the country, I can not guarantee it's success 100% and
you must be aware on very rare occasions some doves will not home,
but I have rarely known doves not stay in their new home after the
six week period. usually they are not settled because of
interference by vermin, cats, fox's or hawks.
order leg rings with your phone number on
ready for your birds release. order the 8mm
CLIP
ON
leg rings with the 8mm leg ring CLIP ON STICKERS with your phone
number on. go to BODDY and
RIDEWOOD WEB SITE
Although I can offer you practical
advice on homing your fantail doves/pigeons , I can not be held
responsible if your birds do not settle to their new home or do not
stay after six weeks confinement to adjust in to their new environs.
Please refer to above information for help on homing /
settling your birds.
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