I heard a local loft was experiencing typical Salmonella/Paratyphoid symptoms; Torsion of the neck, Diarrhoea, Fever, Shaking, and of course loss of life. This fancier thought his health woos were from participating in winter shows. Although possible, I think the cause is closer to home. It could be contaminated grain, or most likely MICE nesting and feeding in the loft.
My home and loft are surrounded by farm land, and I've always had to manage rodents on our property. Over the years, I've used cheap and expensive traps and gadgets. However, today I use the same system that Bill Sheridan shared with me five years ago. A Simple, Cheap, and Effective way to control mice in and around your loft.
A shoe box with small entrance holes, filled with your favourite bate blocks. These shoe boxes are secured with duct tape and placed in the loft away from the pigeons, and other pets and animals.
Rats and mice usually only feed a few metres/yards from their nest, and they're closer then you think. Is it time to clean out the loft?
I don't mean scraping...Most pigeon fanciers are pack rats (No pun intended). We save old drinkers, nest fronts, bowls, and bowl pads. There's usually a half-dozen almost empty feed bags, maybe a couple of dozen empty bags. The shelves are filled with outdated medications, and ultimately we've created a loft full of hiding spots for our uninvited quests.
Maybe these health woos are caused by something more sinister. However, it won't hurt to clean out the corridors, and throw out those unnecessary treasures.
