Feral pigeons as food

[max abell 196]

We have been asked by the farmer on one of our permissions to shoot a load of feral pigeons he has got living in two of his big barns

Hopefully are going to do them this weekend at night with the air rifle and lamp the question is although we feed our ferrets on the normal rabbits woodies squirrels magpies crows etc etc

we have never actualy fed them feral pigeons they are renowned for carrying allsorts of germs we do always freeze everything 1st before feeding to the ferrets which should kill anything on

the ferals what do you think or should we just chuck the carcasses on the farmers bonfire ?

[scothunter 12,609]

if there solely around the farm all the time,then dont see any harm in feeding them to ferts.where i am i wouldnt as all the ferals are rats with wings and raking in all sorts.

[watchman 256]

well right or wrong,but if it was me i would freeze and feed and have done for years on the odd occasions when i get a few

[The one 8,486]

Ive had 100's off of Bobo and his sidekick this year and ive froze them and swapped them day about with rabbits for the adult ferrets and never had a problem never gave any of the younger ferrets them though

[stubby 175]

I shoot loads of ferals on the underground, have often thought of ferret food, but as yet, never have, saying that, farm ferals are probably cleaner, so Id say, do what I do with london ferals, and then make your own choice,

 

hold them as near to your nose as you can, then have a really good SNIFF, after this london ferals always get thrown in the incinarator :sick:

[Malt 379]

They should be fine, just check them over for ticks, lice etc before you chuck 'em in!

 

If you're still worried, bung 'em in the freezer for a few days first.

[kevin from bristol 95]

i wouldn't just to be on the safe side was doing a rat job the other day and the ferals had been at the bait wont take much of that to kill your ferrets maybe gut em first and freeze em ? you never know what ferals been eating

[longnetter 32]

Squirrels, magpies & crows carry all sorts of crap and you've been feeding them, I'd freeze & feed mate .

 

ATB

[romany52 313]

I've fed anything and everything to my ferrets never had a problem, Had plenty live to 11 or 12 years old.

[jarv5116 57]

Iv feed mine everything!

rabbits crows pigeons my dads racing pigeons.

Only thing I wouldnt throw in is maxi rabbits!

[JoeD 24]

Iv feed mine everything!

rabbits crows pigeons my dads racing pigeons.

Only thing I wouldnt throw in is maxi rabbits!

 

Myxi rabbits don't pose a risk to anything else other than rabbits, no other animal can catch it.

 

Joe

[DottyDoo 500]

just me but i would never feed a feral pigeon to me ferrets

 

reason being is how do you know its always been feral?? or if its feral full stop??

lots of rollers or homers dont get rung an often go feral an these birds if in the care of a half decent pigeon man will have been given all sorts of meds.....

 

probs a slim chance of anything happening, but still,

saying that they are the 1 thing bar rats i dont feed the ferrets

[jarv5116 57]

Iv feed mine everything!

rabbits crows pigeons my dads racing pigeons.

Only thing I wouldnt throw in is maxi rabbits!

 

Myxi rabbits don't pose a risk to anything else other than rabbits, no other animal can catch it.

 

Joe

Yeah i know maxi rabbits dont pose risk just dont fancy feeding them to ferrets. they always look stinking.

[eye in the sky 0]

i cut the breast meat off freeze it then feed it chuck the carcass in a hedge

[Ron Weasley 83]

All depends on where they come from. As stubby said, I wouldn't feed town or city ferals. I removed several from a brewery in a town centre last year, and they were fed, as they'd only been eating maltings etc from the brewery. I also cleared a few cattle sheds for a friend, and they all went to ferret food, as their diet was as good as any wood pigeon.