when will birds stop eating my crops!!!!

[gilley]

I have had trouble with pigeons eating my brassicas and peas.  They have all been covered now with netting, but at what stage will they stop eating them.  I was told that they will only eat peas when they are just coming through. this is my first year of allotmenting so any advice will be welcome

Gill

[gilley]

[SMP1704]

They only stop when they are covered

[djbrenton]

Or when they're all gone!

[ninnyscrops]

They'll still be eating when a sprout plant is over 3 feet tall if uncovered  >:(  :)

[Baccy Man]

I find having a lot of bird of prey living in the area helps keep them at bay, next best thing would be to cover them with scaffold netting.

[woppa30]

This may not be much help but since it appears you don't have any birds of prey netting may be your only (practical) answer.
The others are a local cat (which I have), doesn't cause too much damage elsewhere and a 12 bore shotgun (I want one of these for the other things that might cause damage to the plot (chavvs).
Sorry there is no easy magic answer.
Woppa

[gilley]

Thanks for al your replys, I will keep them covered.

[Mr Smith]

This very morning I have built several wooden frames to cover my new collies and cabbages which I'm buying tomorrow from a local nursery, I bought several lenghts of 1''x1'' timber cut them to 6' with two end bits 18'' long they are like a small set of goal posts which I will cover with netting, :)

[Baccy Man]

We Have Trouble With Wood Pigeons On Our Site  >:(

Easy solution.
http://www.angliasporting.co.uk/recipes.asp

[heyho]

Just plant the whole site with potatos. Totally left alone by the birds and most annoying creatures such as slugs.

Saying that totally boring crop, in excess, too.

I've not taken a chance with my brassicas - they are covered as the plot is full of wood pidgeons.

And to be honest I would not like to be stuck in a lift with a wood pidgeon - they must be so boring. You go down to the plot for a bit of digging therapy and you get 'woooooo woooooo woooooo woooooo woooooo' (or something like that) driving you mad.

Thought an ally had come to my rescue yesterday as, what appeared to be a young red kite, starting swooping down on the pidgeons. Sadly it was bullied away by four crows. I don't think it will be back.

[OllieC]

We have pigeon problems too - brassica are never left alone (apart from radishes), so always have to be covered. Peas are fine uncovered when they start to need support - about 6 inches.

[Meg]

I don't think they would eat anything if you shot htem!! Sorry what are a pest are they? I spent more time protecting the plants than I do planting them etc!! Never mind we all had to learn the hard way. All mys stuff was eaten the first year too!!!!! :-[ :( ;)