On 10/18/2016 at 7:25 PM, jak2002003 said:

That's is a myth.  They actually will love to eat the uncooked rice and more pigeon will come to the feast.

 

What problems are the pigeons causing on your roof?  Surely the rain will just wash the poop away?

 

Poisoning them is very cruel and they die slowly and a lot of suffering.  Also any animals.. cat, dog, wildlife, that eats the dead pigeon will also get poisoned. 

 

There are 2 good options if you really don't like them on your roof.  Shoot them... get someone with good aim to kill a few.. and the others will soon move off to another resting place after a few days of that.  The other option is the scare them frequently.. they will again decided its better to rest in a more peaceful place.  Scare them with loud bangs, fireworks, even waving a flag or brightly coloured material about near them.

 

I don't understand why people don't like these birds, so long as they are not actually nesting inside your roof and making mess. 

Not really a myth!  Years ago and I mean years, my hometown S.F.  City health inspector found a unusual amount of Pigeon dying basically dropping dead. I guess they did some type of inspection or research and found the death might or can be associated with the eating of raw rice.  Therefore they announce to the public not to feed rice to the pigeons.

Why people do not like them?  I managed a apartment building and once pigeons find a place to roost, you find them everywhere inside stairwells, sitting on top of pipes, and when they get surprise they go flying crazy trying to get away.  There were hundreds of them roosting at night they would keep tenants awake making noise like they were snoring? They shit so much into this light well it became a health problem.  Like others posted they are rats with wings!

I will have to tell my pet fancy pigeons that eating raw rice will kill them... as that is mostly what I fed them... and my chickens every day, and have been doing so for years.  

 

As I said they are not a problem so long as they don't roots and nest INSIDE buildings.  I don't see how just sitting on a roof top will cause any problems. 

 

 

On 10/21/2016 at 7:16 PM, petedk said:

 

 

You are lucky that your neighbours are also interested in getting rid of them.

 

Our neighbours carry little plastic bags and boxes  of rice over to our wall and place them around to feed the pigeons. I sometimes have a fit and collect all the bags and boxes and through them over the gate of one of the worst offenders. I know it is wrong and creates a bad relationship, but seriously, why put the food along our house?

 

The pigeons make a mess everywhere. The dog enjoys chasing them all day long and occasionally manages to catch one, but their numbers are still increasing.

 

this thread was not discussing your 'rats with wings' that you keep as pets but FERAL pigeons that shit and coo everywhere they go