wildlife

I have a Grade 2 listed dovecot mounted on the wall of my house. It is always full of 14 doves. I have never maintained it and have assumed that they clear out their own homes - I get a large build up of crap on the driveway below! I think it needs to be reroofed and decorated and think that the insides of the pigeon holes do look full of crap as well? Any ideas?

For example, if I took it down to refurbish it, say for a few days, would they all disappear and be upset that their old home has been refurbished?

 

Hi John welcome to the forum, the doves will be paring up/breeding so now isn't a good time to mess them about,

Personally i would wait while autumn when the breeding season has finished before doing any work, the doves know where there home is and will return.

 

Hi John, if that's the case build your new one install it at the side of your existing one and remove the old one once the breeding season has ended.

 

Check with your council about the grade 2 listing as well so you know what you can do and what you can't

 

@martin-f and @Jiffy (s)
Hello and to GC @John Willmott
I would be inclined to leave well alone until permission is sought on how to repair...also I would do as you have mentioned and just locate a new Cote for the Doves to use ....mimicing the orginal ...maybe just adding some form of tray platform to perhaps minimize the debris down the wall Just a thought ....and then hopefully they will relocate until, subject to professional advice you know how to proceed with the old one - Good luck with it and how truly blessed you are to have this in your garden I have considered one but it's very exposed here with blooming freezing winds so not too sure they would wish to take up residence ....maybe if penquins could fly high they would

 

I might be wrong but i am presuming the the property is grade 11 listed and not the dovecote ? if the dovecot is grade 11 yes you need professional advice, on some land i metal detect theirs a grade 11 listed dovecot like this,

With the OP saying he was going to make another i presume its like this and just replacing like for like just get on with it if that's the case.

 

They would stay B you have to train them by keeping them in for a few weeks its best done with young birds to start with,

http://thedovecotespot.com/homing-your-doves

This looks like a nice unit for the money.

New Antique Wood & Metal Dovecote Bird Nesting Box House Wall Freestanding Large | eBay

 

This ones very classy mate