The Orangery Retirement Home For Pigeons

07/10/2024

Meet the residents: Smokey Joe

Smokey Joe came to us as part of a larger group of rescues after being found on the streets. He’s a tiny tumbler mix with one working eye. Joe’s tame and well handled; whoever loved him first placed a pink metal ring on his leg but sadly this wasn’t traceable.
It’s lovely that Joe isn’t afraid of humans but it does make daily cleaning challenging because in Joe’s mind, it’s all about him.
If you enter shed 2 he’ll be waiting to show you his best moves; lambada, cha-cha or a two step. He can do them all. Unfortunately I think Joe’s dancing career was over before it began.. the problem is that when you’re blind in one eye, you don’t always stick the landing. The falling over and the falling off things aside, he still gets a 10/10 from us.
Smokey Joe is married to Lady Edith.

13/09/2024

This 👇🏻

This month alone two large pigeon sanctuaries have closed. We are inundated with requests to take birds (sometimes large numbers). Some sanctuaries are facing monthly costs of more than a mortgage! If you have a local pigeon sanctuary please donate or do something to raise funds, send seed or leave a legacy in your will 💜

🙏🏼 I’m desperate for some supplies if anyone could kindly help - a very long read sorry!! 🙏🏼

My numbers have just topped over 100 permanent residents in my aviary’s.. (Not including my garden flock of 200 and many birds in rehabilitation).
Which is an incredibly high number whilst doing this entirely on my own, being self funded and doing activism on the side.

Financially I am unable to continue with so many birds. I have had 4 donations this year from people who have brought me a bird… the donation solely goes towards the costs of rehabilitation, which includes electrolytes, injectable fluids, supplements, coccidiosis/canker medication, parasite treatment, crop infection medication, antibiotics for wounds & cat attacks, critical care forumula, hand rearing formula, pigeon food, puppy pads, syringes, tubes.
The MAJORITY of birds so far have had canker/coccidiosis and had injures needing antibiotics.
And nearly all have had parasites- so the list above is standard for EACH bird I get in and that’s including the birds I find.

And I have had SO many birds brought to me this year and previous years who are unrelesable, either from severe injury or unwanted racers, which is why I had to build a 5th aviary over summer.😬

With so little donations coming in from finders, I have no choice but to stay closed to taking new birds, which is the last thing I want. But I have no choice.😔

I have some incredibly supportive members of the public and friends who donate when they can and donate food and a small handful of people who have set up a direct debit, which I’m unbelievably grateful for.
So THANK YOU, for your support.💜

It is also with a heavy heart I am rehoming some of my free-flying flock, to Idlewild animal sanctuary tomorrow.
These are healthy pigeons who have nothing wrong with them, but I have way too many to cope with and space is limited.
I’m incredibly grateful for the much needed help, I cannot thank you enough.🙏🏼

This is the sad reality, as there aren’t enough sanctuary spaces for pigeons, they don’t get the help or respect they need and being the only pigeon sanctuary pretty much in the whole of North Wales, I have taken on and accepted too many to cope with, because what other options are there? I’ve taken pigeons all the way from Anglesey to Manchester and many in between, because even rescues up there are full and closed.

We need more support, more people who want to help / learn to look after them, more people who can offer a sanctuary space for them and more people to donate to small rescues / sanctuaries like myself who are completely self funded.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not stopping rehabbing permanently, but I have had to cut my numbers down and I am no longer able to offer permanent spaces for disabled / non-releasable pigeons, as I cannot afford to, as 99% of people don’t offer a donation or continue help to fund the bird they’ve brought me.

In 4 weeks I have spent over £500 on them, including food, medication, antibiotics, bedding, baby bird formula etc 😳 and I’ve completely ran out of food (yesterday I got 2 bags of bird food donated which I’m so thankful for, but it’s already gone!) so I need to do a bulk buy of 10 bags which will last just 6-8 days.
It isn’t sustainable, mentally, physically or financially.

So if you’re on a position to, PLEASE please please would you help support the birdies I’ve got in my care, I will still have over 80 after taking some to Idlewild, these birds are all non-releasable or permanents.

I have had a few people set up monthly donations to my bank or PayPal, as little as £2 through to £20, if you’re in a position to even do £1 a month, it will give me those ‘definite’ funds to help keep going.
I’ve got over 900 followers, if half of those just donated £1, I’d nearly have my monthly funds covered 🙏🏼💜

Thank you for reading ###

PayPal is: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/pigeonanddoverescue?locale.x=en_GB&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1IPg5CXustGceBmhGhI3GRXS-7MvyvqRW2pmdkfrnda8hI4Cv2O04sYMs_aem_6pwm8mq4ArWdlMfRosxj7Q

If anyone wants to do direct debit through the bank I can send you details 🙏🏼💜

05/09/2024

Despite trying not to take on any more birds we have 3 new residents.
Originally from kinder bird rescue, they’ve spent time at
Sadly this month we lost another pigeon sanctuary with the announcement littlegreenpigeon sanctuary closing.

They will now spend their forever with us here and I’ll be posting updates about them as we get to know their quirks.

25/08/2024

Best way to spend a rainy Sunday is hanging out with your favourite person ♥️
[Skipper and Rory]

19/08/2024

Waiting for the rain to pass.

02/08/2024

Meet the residents: Twizzle

Twizzle came to us with a group of single ladies. She had PMV which she’s mostly recovered from except for a very slight head tilt. When you look at Twizzle you can be certain of one thing; there isn’t a single thought going through her head. Not one. She tries to eat her own toes. She pauses mid snack because she forgets to swallow.
Can’t find her? Don’t worry, she’s in the wrong nest box sat on the wrong eggs.

She is married to the lovely Noddy who despite her oddities thinks she’s just wonderful.

🐦

25/07/2024

Fitbit has started to think I’m on a run when cleaning out the birdies.
Either I sweep at an Olympic level speed… or I’m really unfit 🥲
🕊️

07/07/2024

Our newest resident enjoying today’s summer weather. 🕊️

25/06/2024

Any sanctuaries around or somewhat near Peterborough that can take 4 disabled adult pigeons and 2 juveniles which will fly after their next moult?
One of the juveniles is a woody so could be soft released.
Other 5 are feral pigeons.
Thank you 🙂

24/06/2024

Help needed
Pigeon grit… our residents love Versele-Laga red stone pick pots.
They also love the ideal 5-1 Blocs they do.
I used to be able to get both from Amazon but sadly no longer, most of the online sites seem to be £££ for delivery - where are you all getting your grit and what are your birds loving?

11/06/2024

Pigeon chicks guide to temporary accommodation!

🕊️

26/05/2024

Just Molly sitting in the sieve 🤷‍♀️

🐦

15/05/2024

Is this a 1/10 or a 10/10 for effort?

🐦

15/05/2024

When you’ve got housework to do but the neighbours are fighting!

🐦

12/05/2024

Finally given up denying how many squidgy pidgys we have and bought some extra feeders to make dinner time less chaotic!
This also gives the ex PMV pigeons a bit more space as they can sometimes be a little cautious about pushing in to have their turn.

🐦

28/04/2024

20/03/2024

Future plans:

We are looking at adding another shed in this space, if I bring my woodworking A game (or most likely get my Dad to build it) hopefully I can join this either side to create a lovely warm walk way with two full banks of boxes between each shed.

Despite my best intentions - we are slightly short on disabled boxes and rapidly running out of floor space in the current lofts.
There are pigeons desperate for long term homes and we get multiple messages a day so hopefully this will help us to help a few more…. Not too many - I’m running out of names 😂

The new shed will be around 7ft by 6ft with extra height so that it gives lots of flying space and plenty of head room!
As many of you know, we never cut corners so these sheds are always new, extra thick cladding for warmth, raised floors for ventilation and damp prevention plus painted to keep them water tight and clean.

The cost of which is never cheap. Current quotes are around £1000 for the shed. Fitting it out with boxes will be extra 💰

As always - what pigeons need, pigeons get! No holidays, Extra shifts at work, cutting back on food costs etc but this only goes so far!

So;
To anyone who loves pigeons.
To anyone who has lots of extra pennies they don’t need or wants to buy some funky pigeon cards etc
To anyone who’s committed atrocities against mankind and needs a good cause to donate to in order to make up for it.

Here is our Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/OrangeryDesigns

Funny cards, wrapping paper, bags, t shirts.

Our PayPal:


(QR code can be sent if easier)

Thank you,
Liz + our 103 resident pigeons 💜