Widowhood Cocks and Feral Hens

[Diamond Dave]

I live in a small village and never really had a stray problem until the advent of solar panels. They are a haven for strays and this year since they have been installed in various places all over the village I have noticed that my cock birds are getting distracted and way-laid by stray and feral hens to a point where I can't get them in.
Anyone got any advice how I can overcome this - what do ppl do that live in cities and large towns where ther are often large accumulations of ferals....?

[Devo1956]

Solar panels should have wire mesh around, this stops the birds from nesting under them.

[Buster121]

Solar panels should have wire mesh around, this stops the birds from nesting under them.

Should but not many do Dev

[NeilA]

I live in a small village and never really had a stray problem until the advent of solar panels. They are a haven for strays and this year since they have been installed in various places all over the village I have noticed that my cock birds are getting distracted and way-laid by stray and feral hens to a point where I can't get them in.
Anyone got any advice how I can overcome this - what do ppl do that live in cities and large towns where ther are often large accumulations of ferals....?

I feel for you with this
I have a mate that flew celibacy hens really well he is in a housing estate where most houses are now as you mention fitted with panels
Unfortunately he couldn’t solve the problem by late May / June he lost control of the hens and actually stopped racing them and just kept on with his widowhood cocks but even then mentioned that’s at times it’s a real pain now to keep them from dropping he has to just have them out half hour and in and not dropping and striking back off the loft anymore .
Try short sharp loft flying say 3 times 15-20 mins a day
I would also keep them in now to they are are paired or even after that so they are attached to a hen this time of year if out they could get into bad habits that won’t leave them

[Murray]

Just hang in there fellas. In two or three years there may be some sanity about all this stuff.

[Diamond Dave]

Solar panels should have wire mesh around, this stops the birds from nesting under them.

Not a one has wire round em Dev

[Diamond Dave]

Just hang in there fellas. In two or three years there may be some sanity about all this stuff.

You cant just say that and leave it there Murray
What do you know that we dont mate....??.

[CHARLTON34]

So the last 2 years it started with about a dozen ferrals from a bungalow on the estate, so someone else this year has them as well in total probably 100 can be in the air at any given time just all feral & not rung, mine fly out they try to keep up but give up after 5 mins.
Only becomes a problem if any land on the house roof then the cock will start to drive the ferrals hen, it's not to much of a problem just keep the feed tight & I've not had a problem getting them in.
My only concern would be that health wise they bring something back into your loft which happened to my pigeons in picking up ybs in October, just be observant & if your not happy with anything then isolate .

[king]

I live in a small village and never really had a stray problem until the advent of solar panels. They are a haven for strays and this year since they have been installed in various places all over the village I have noticed that my cock birds are getting distracted and way-laid by stray and feral hens to a point where I can't get them in.
Anyone got any advice how I can overcome this - what do ppl do that live in cities and large towns where ther are often large accumulations of ferals....?

Although I never flew Widowhood I too had a problem with feral's under the solar pannel's. The first year it was just a handful. Within 2 years there was a lock of around 300 feral's living and breeding around me. I can say they never were a problem when racing. In fact they were the best BOP deterrent you can have. The only time my birds flew with them is when a hawk was around. The odd feral dropped on the loft, normally it was a yb, but it didn't happen often. My own ybs when first going out sometimes joined then when first finding their wings, but again not a big problem. Over the years the pannels got wired up and now the ferals have all but gone.

[Diamond Dave]

Thankyou Charlton and King, thats reassuring since I've had a scabby feral hen sat on my loft for the best part ofthe day!