Keeping Doves | The Hardware


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Dovecotes

When I began to write about our cotes and the doves I didn't know when to stop. There is so much to say that in the end the confines of the pages put a stop to my ravings. I asked a friend what she thought of my literary efforts and her response was in retrospect, predictable. "Very nice, but nobody is going to bother to read this lot, boil it down to a few paragraphs and get your message across quickly before you lose their interest". At first I thought she had a point, then it slowly dawned on me why should I reduce my efforts to a few lines, you can't hype up dovecotes. If you haven't got the time to take in what I've got to say, then possibly a cote with doves is just the relaxation you need. If you have got the time and want to read on, then we are kindred spirits. Imagine you have been asked to describe a dovecote. The likelihood is that the words 'peaceful' and 'serene' are amongst the first thoughts that come to mind. The image, no doubt, is that of a tall slender cote in a formal setting with mown croquet lawns and groomed flower borders to match, or perhaps a cote nestling in the sheltered orchard garden of a little stone cottage in the Cotswolds, or even overlooking the flagstone courtyard of medieval castle. Of course we have installed such cotes but the fact remains that there are as many settings for cotes as people wanting them. The birds are free to fly, so are not restricted by boundary and we pride ourselves that if you have the desire to own a cote and doves, then we have the cote that will enhance that dream. Over the years we have installed cotes in such diverse locations as Kew Gardens, semi's in Wimbledon, castle courtyards, on the stone walls of Yorkshire farm houses, walled gardens of town houses, in the grounds of stately homes and of course, country cottages and town gardens alike from Devon to Fife. Perhaps the strangest was under a scenic railway in the children's farm at the pleasure beach. Blackpool, which, despite the noise and mayhem, successfully homed in the birds.


Forsham Dovecotes

At present, we have seven dovecotes in our range, five post cotes and two wall mounted. All the cotes we design and build are to the highest standard of workmanship. Having one of our dovecotes in Kew Gardens, successfully displaying at the Chelsea Flower Show, exporting to Japan. America and Europe and surviving the worst recession years is proof of that. All our cotes are built to the same basic criteria: firstly, the birds' needs must be catered for. A fancy cote the doves cannot use serves no purpose. Equally important the aesthetics of the cote should be such that no matter the siting, it should both compliment and bring its own charm to the scene. The working dimensions and lay out of the cotes are mine to know . Like most communal creatures be it doves, bees or people the design of the cote, the hive or the tower block, plays an important part in the behaviour, safety and well being of the community it houses . There are definite do's and don't do's when building any animal shelter and cotes are no exception. I have learnt the hard way to keep my mouth shut, if I don't want to read in someone else's brochure the facts and insight's I unwittingly gave them in the interest of being obliging. If that sounds like sour grapes then that's because it is.


The Finials

This is the decorative point fitted over the lead crown. I thought that it would stop the birds "pooing" down the roof. It did short term but the desire of the top doves to gain the highest perch is a strong one and they soon mastered the point. The Finial does finish the cote, but its not to every bodies taste.


The Post

The post that we supply is pressure treated and sized to give strength but also to compliment the cote. The post goes 900mm into the ground, has about 2100 mm showing between the cote and the ground, with a further 600mm inside the cote which acts as a spine, (except the Tenterden which has 1200 mm in the cote and 1200mm in the ground). We have never resorted to the use of concrete when installing a cote, we supply a set of cross braces that act as a root system. Our display cote has withstood two hurricanes and, as a lady in Scotland recently reported, the cote literally stood its ground in 107 mph winds. I can say with some confidence that our method works!


The Finish

The treating is done after building. The cote, is dipped into timber treater so that all the end cuts, board joints and the inaccessible areas right inside the cote, (like the roof void), get treated. The painted cotes are also dipped to treat internal woodwork, they are then given three coats of white microporous paint. This allows the wood to 'breathe' through the paint and therefore it will not crack or blister. Repainting is a case of a quick wash off, light rub down to form a key and then paint. In the interest of avoiding comebacks we have used this paint and it works.


Feed Tables

We make feed tables to suit the dovecote, they fit around the post just under the cote body and the cote itself acts as a shelter. The tables are fitted after the cotes are erected so can be brought as an after thought. The profile of the table matches the cote -hexagonal cote, hexagonal table. The wall cotes also have a 'same profile' table in the form of a bracketed shelf. We include two terracotta hoppers with each table, except the Tenterden which has four hoppers. Should you require, we can also supply a free standing table see the Ford tables in this brochure.


Installation

When you have chosen your cote, we can send it to you to install or, alternatively, we could bring the cote and install it for you. This would entail us discussing the cote location with you taking into account wind, sun, aesthetics and cats. Based on numerous successful installations we even bring a silhouette cote so we can visually fine tune the cotes' final siting. We would, of course, dig the hole, erect the cote, make good. This service can only be offered within a 150 mile radius from our Ashford, Kent base.




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