Pigeons in the winter

[DogNewbie]

Hello everyone,

As you can see in my profile, I live in MN and am currently preparing, once again, for the cold cold winter to set in (it has already snowed in Duluth!) I'm wondering what you other cold winter state members do to prepare you're pigeon coops for winter? Is it as simple as heaters and insulation? Just curious in case I decide to build my own coop. Thanks!

Tim

[topher40]

Give them a place to stay out of the wind, thats what is going to kill em. I wouldnt worry about the insulation or even heaters unless you have a small area. If the loft your planning on heating is small then a heating lamp wont hurt you a bit. Pigeons really wont huddle under a heat lamp like quail do and they are extremely hard to kill. Take care of a pigeon the same way you would take care of a rat, make sure there is some grain on the floor and dont worry!

[Brittguy]

I have no special heating, sometime they even start nesting in Feb. If you have a very open loft you might close some of they area so there is not as much wind, but not too tight , ventilation is important.

[DogNewbie]

Wow that surprises me. Cool birds!

[pinebrookkennel]

Switch to hole corn ,it keeps them warm. You need to add some grit to help the digestion.

[jczv]

As several others have said there's no need for any heat. The two things about winter is if you fly them they are a big flying ribeye in the sky for hawks and owls that have migrated south so you'll soon have a bunch of raptors hanging around. I generally will count on losing some birds every month Sept through Nov, March and April. I don't fly them December through Feb.

The biggest pain in the "bleep" with any birds in northern climates in winter is water. I don't want to run electric to my coop so I end up putting fresh water in every morning and thawing out yesterdays frozen bowl in the basement every night. Obviously the other option is to get a heated bowl. If somebody ever figures out a cheap solar water heater I'm in.

The flip side if this is if your thinking about training in spring this is the perfect time to get the coop built and some breeders locked in it now so that they are settled, laying and ready to go in spring

[gonehuntin']

They're feral birds, they live under bridges all winter. Give them a windbreak, lot's of food and they'll be fine. They'll eat the snow for moisture.

[High Voltage]

For water in the winter I use plastic ice cube trays. We had 18 birds and 1 worked great, I would fill in the morning before work & in the evening when I fed them. Easy to pop out what froze between time & and poo that got in them

[DogNewbie]

For water in the winter I use plastic ice cube trays. We had 18 birds and 1 worked great, I would fill in the morning before work & in the evening when I fed them. Easy to pop out what froze between time & and poo that got in them

That's awesome. Good idea

[QuailHollow]

I've raised pigeons for a long time. DO NOTHING. Keep the coop ventilated. Keep them fed, and you may need to get a heated water bowl. That's enough. Anything more and you've wasted your money.

[jasonw99]

i do nothing. just have to be sure they have water and food. they even have chicks in the winter sometimes.

[QuailHollow]

Yes, they do.. and I might add, they are incredibly ugly.

[ezzy333]

Yes, they do.. and I might add, they are incredibly ugly.

The length of the day is what really determines when they breed. You can effect that by using lights or darkening the windows.

Ezzy