[AlaninCarlisle]

They're driving me mad. There seems to have been an explosive increase in their population and the wood at the back of our house is full of them. When they are not mating, their favourite occupation is patrolling my veg gardens pecking at anything that interests them. They uproot leek plants and onion sets, decimate cabbages and sprouts etc and are now delighting in picking off the snap peas as soon as they show above ground

Covering the entire area with netting is not a practical solution and for personal reasons, I can't bring myself to shoot them.

Does anyone have any tried and tested means of scaring them off or at least deterring them?

[Growster...]

Covering a large area with netting is indeed expensive, Alan, but we've got over much of the cost, by having 8' x 4' beds some of which don't need nets, like spuds! The ones that do need nets have those cane ball structures.

It isn't a panacea, but it does work, and although the language is quite rich when the nets get blown around, we do find that the pigeons have to go and play somewhere else!

Pigeons are a nuisance though, I agree!

[RJR_38]

If you find a solution let me know. Our balcony has been descended upon by rock pigeons in the past 18 months (the pigeons that look like doves) and they walk round like they own the place, mate and try to nest on the balcony. We had pest control round and they said there was nothing they could do and we can't net our balcony because we are the top floor so there is no 'roof'.
We are thinking about shooting as horrible as it is as it is a health risk

[Mrs Bee]

As I type there are five of the b***ers at my grass. They are big fat wood pigeons.

Most of the seedlings are covered by mushroom boxes as I learned my lesson last year when they decimated my brassicas.

At the allotment, they have been dive bombing the netted beds to try and get in at the plants.

I am planning  to get a pigeon trap and a wall mounted dispatcher and add to the pigeons in the freezer.

[Goosegirl]

You could do like Growster has done and use a structure of cane balls or canes inserted into lengths of cheap hosepipe to make a hooped structure then drape some netting over it. I use clematis netting supported by tying canes onto the sides to make a horizontal structure mainly to stop my cats digging up the soil but these methods  would at least help your plants get a good start so they don't get pulled out or eaten at ground level, and you can raise the netting and re-tie it as the plants grow. You could make a higher more permanent structure just for brassicas.

[AnneB]

I spotted one of our resident garden wood pigeons sitting on the wall this morning, eyeing up the redcurrants.  Time for the canes and netting!    The ones at the allotment ignore fruit completely and eat cabbage instead.

[AlaninCarlisle]

I am planning  to get a pigeon trap and a wall mounted dispatcher and add to the pigeons in the freezer.

There's a thought. Does the trap kill them too?

I'm seriously hacked off with wild-life at the moment, rabbits graze on my best perennials in the front, pigeons eat my veggies, mice get into my polytunnel and nibble all the early carrots and turnips and some or other creature has stripped the bark off the base of several fruit trees.

We have three dogs but they just want to play with the rabbits and totally ignore the damned pigeons

[Maryann]

What about one of those 'kites' in the shape of a Hawk (not too sure what bird it is) they use them on the allotments round here so I guess they might work.
I've even seen them when driving past a factory in Crayford to keep them off the roof and I know they use a real hawk to keep them away from tennis courts at Wimbledon so it might be worth a try without breaking the bank.

We have lots of Woodies and collar neck doves (pigeons ?) in our garden and although they are a pest I couldn't kill them and as for eating them  no way. They make me laugh when I see the males going patiently through their very elaborate mating dance only for the girls to ignore them 

[Hampshire Hog]

As long as your dogs don't mind what about getting a couple of cats?
The pigeons might think twice about attacking your veg if your cuddly moggy was getting ready to have them for dinner!😱😱😱😱😱

Cheers HH

[Mrs Bee]

I am planning  to get a pigeon trap and a wall mounted dispatcher and add to the pigeons in the freezer.

There's a thought. Does the trap kill them too?

I'm seriously hacked off with wild-life at the moment, rabbits graze on my best perennials in the front, pigeons eat my veggies, mice get into my polytunnel and nibble all the early carrots and turnips and some or other creature has stripped the bark off the base of several fruit trees.

We have three dogs but they just want to play with the rabbits and totally ignore the damned pigeons

No it just traps them. THen the wall mounted dispatcher comes into its own.

[AlaninCarlisle]

As long as your dogs don't mind what about getting a couple of cats?
The pigeons might think twice about attacking your veg if your cuddly moggy was getting ready to have them for dinner!

Cheers HH

We have a trained killer cat. He has his workload in killing baby rabbits. He decapitates them and leaves them out for the resident crows

I am planning  to get a pigeon trap and a wall mounted dispatcher and add to the pigeons in the freezer.

Can you tell me more please?

[Maryann]

Oh my God it sounds like a battleground out there with killer cats and decapitated bunnies 
and all to grow a few veggies.
I would rather not have cat poo all over my garden and having cats just to kill birds seems cruel to both of them.

Surely netting is a much friendlier option for all concerned 

[madcat]

Can I suggest something a bit lower tech but works for me?  My lottie is surronded on two sides by hedges and trees and pigeons nest in them and are always causing a rumpus.  My neighbours moan about rabbits - we are constantly battling the pigeons.  So this is from the heart ....

Net the things that really need it - like lettuces and shallots/onions when the green tips are just showing.

For the rest that are vulnerable like seedlings and peas (dont they love pea shoots!) and beans etc, try sparkles.  My munty frame for the peas and beans has strings of crisp packet (thank you, canteen!  but the key is shiny and silvery) bows along the front and sides, twisling and twisting and sparkling..  which the pigeons hate. They dont like the erratic movement or that they could touch them.  They dont like being deprived of a favoured perch, but wont go near them. The midpoint has a string of CDs swinging below it (so as not to get tangled with the beans) protected the things in the bed beneath.  The tops of the wigwams have sparkle strings, and there are lower level strings over the calendulas and seedlings.  The strings move on when not needed and go to protect something else.

They work a treat and have saved us £s on netting and hours of bad temper.

[Growster...]

The main problem with netting is my Anglo-Saxon language!

We've found that the only way to keep the blighters at bay is to net the veg with 8' x 3' cages made from 4' high canes and balls! It's a real bind, but even today, the patch was coloured with some ripe words, but at least they work - the nets, not the bad language..;0)

[Mrs Bee]

The main problem with netting is my Anglo-Saxon language!

And mine!!