Pigeon in Chimney

Indricotherium

Pigeon in Chimney!!

Whats the best way to scare it out?

I've left some bread on the grating in the hopes that it would jump down and then I could scare it out the front door. But it cannot fit around the last bit of the back boiler.

I've tried letting the cat and dog into the grate to try and scare it up and out the other way but no effect.

I have also tried lighting a tiny smokey fire on the grate to scare it out but to no success.

are there any other tricks to get the thing out.

aonb

sounds like the poor thing is STUCK! If its fallen in to your chimney, its not going to be able to FLY back out (it wont be able to open its wings)
Do you have a cowl on your chimney? If there is a back boiler things dont look too good for the pigeon (Pigeons mate for life - I always feel sorry when I see a dead one) -
if you could get a chimney brush, and very gently push up from the fireplace, you might manage to prop the pigeon up high enough to get it out.
The other alternative is to close the door/windows of the room the fireplace is in, and hope that the pigeon will eventualy get down and out through the fireplace. You can then catch it and release it.
If its hurt and you can retrieve it from behind the back boiler, put it in a box and put it safe in a shed for a few hours, in the hopes that it will recover form the ordeal.
Dont frighten it anymore with smoke/cat/dog - its probably already traumatised by being stuck in the chimney

Indricotherium

aonb wrote: »

sounds like the poor thing is STUCK! If its fallen in to your chimney, its not going to be able to FLY back out (it wont be able to open its wings)
Do you have a cowl on your chimney? If there is a back boiler things dont look too good for the pigeon (Pigeons mate for life - I always feel sorry when I see a dead one) -
if you could get a chimney brush, and very gently push up from the fireplace, you might manage to prop the pigeon up high enough to get it out.
The other alternative is to close the door/windows of the room the fireplace is in, and hope that the pigeon will eventualy get down and out through the fireplace. You can then catch it and release it.
If its hurt and you can retrieve it from behind the back boiler, put it in a box and put it safe in a shed for a few hours, in the hopes that it will recover form the ordeal.
Dont frighten it anymore with smoke/cat/dog - its probably already traumatised by being stuck in the chimney

Thanks for the help.

He's defo not fitting out through the fireplace. I tried lassoing him and dragging him down, but he's well able to fly up when I'm trying that.

Pretzill

Indricotherium wrote: »

Thanks for the help.

He's defo not fitting out through the fireplace. I tried lassoing him and dragging him down, but he's well able to fly up when I'm trying that.

I don't think this will end well for the bird. But you are probably going to have to call the chimney sweep in and see if he can push him back out or he may have a better less traumatic alternative. The chimney is full of soot, even if it's recently been cleaned and mostly because the bird is probably panicking like mad! But if you light any fire he will die of smoke inhalation if not just the heat. horrible way to go for the poor thing - And if he can't fall down to the fireplace well there will be an awful lot of flies to follow -

Ring the chimney sweep and ask him to bring one of those coverings for the chimney - they aren't dear and it will prevent it happening again.