Backyard Pigeon Coop

wems2371 · Post by **wems2371** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:16 pm

I was just on the marketplace forum and saw a question about what to make for keeping pigeons. I PM'd the asker, but thought I would share what we made................as we were in that very same questioning stage a few months ago. This is our first coop, and took about 4 hours to make (not counting staining). If you have questions, feel free to ask, as I'm sure others here have some good ideas about backyard coops too.

I have attached a couple photos of the coop my husband and I built a couple months ago. I saw a photo of this kind of coop in gun dog supply catalog, and just went about drawing my own plans. Mostly drew plans so we would utilize two 4x8 sheets of 3/8 plywood from Menards (like $24.99 each sheet). I don't have my drawings anymore (and it's 10pm and raining right now), but I think the front is 4'x4' and the back is 3.5'tallx4'wide. Sides are 2.5'wide. I believe I had a 2.5'x4' scrap left for the floor out of the sheets, but that may have been a scrap we had laying around. Used some stain to preserve. Legs are just treated 2x4's, trimmed to a comfortable height for me. And we have probably four 2x4's on the interior for framing, but all were cut in half to stretch the lumber further. There are also a few 2"x2" supports under the floor panel. The roof is Menards Ondura roofing (like $15.00). Ondura is like very thick corrugated pressed asphalt. I think that came in 4'x7' sheet and we cut it in half with the table saw and overlapped. Cage on the front can be made, but we bought it for $18.00 at our local Theisens farm store. It's a rabbit cage. We left their door in place for exterior access and cut a hole where it mounts to the coop. It is held on with a couple screw eyes and industrial strength zip-ties. The wire coop is removable for transport, however it would need a patch for the hole that doesn't have a door. I am going to buy a patch of wire for that hole, as often when I open the door to the coop.......the birds fly out to the wire cage and I can't easily reach them. So it would be nice to have a cage door to block that access. Bobs were purchased at a gun dog supply store for .99 each--and I think I have 5 wide. The rod they ride on can be bought there too, or you can just buy the right sized welding rod at your local store. This will be the one-way door that lets the pigeons get in--but not out. I have seen homemade bobs out of pvc t's and tubes also. I made my coop with a 2" high long bottom hinged door to remove the manure tray. Pigeons are incredibly messy, so they would probably rot out wood rather quickly, so I bought a plastic dog crate pan (<$15.00) from my local Farm & Fleet. That reminds me that I made the pigeon coop dimensions based a little bit bigger than the pan. I can't remember what the common size pan was, but I think like 27"x47.5". I haven't yet used the hinged door to clean. I've found it really easy just to use a sturdy dustpan to both scrape and remove. I've had 4 pigeons in it so far, but have been told by fellow gundog members that it will hold many more. I'm going to get another 8 birds soon. Using a Belgium cone feeder to keep the feed clean, and had a heated water bowl this winter ............cause I'm lazy, and that made it so I didn't have to check them but every 2-3 days. I don't have nest boxes yet, but I plan on making at least a 3 hole box and mounting it to the wall. I did have a couple eggs in the hay bedding on the floor the other day. The cage is just barely light enough to be moved by my husband and I, although I just barely get my end off the ground!

We were super concerned about losing our only 4 new pigeons, so started by carding/tethering them. After about 2 months, I accidentally let one go, and he was back in the coop in a few hours. We've tested all of them, and they all know how to get back in now. Maybe someone has already posted something like this, but I hope this is helpful to someone out there.

Denise

jcbuch · Post by **jcbuch** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:44 am

Looks nice, I take it since its movable you did not plant the 4x4 posts?

mudhunter · Post by **mudhunter** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:11 am

IM in the process of building one right now, thanks for sharing yours.

GSP_in_Maine · Post by **GSP_in_Maine** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:03 am

Thanks for sharing Denise - that picture of your dog peeking in the coop is priceless.

ACooper · Post by **ACooper** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 7:57 am

How many birds does that hold?

tmoneysju · Post by **tmoneysju** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:42 am

GSP_in_Maine wrote:Thanks for sharing Denise - that picture of your dog peeking in the coop is priceless.

haha, i was thinking the same thing, good post

cocdawg · Post by **cocdawg** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 1:30 pm

Thanks Denise. Just what I'm trying to accomplish. I sent you a pm.

wems2371 · Post by **wems2371** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:29 pm

No, the legs aren't dug into the ground, which is probably a good thing--since we already decided to change the location once. I'm in timber, but if you were out in the open, I'm guessing you would want to anchor it somehow. My husband and I can move it, but I can only get my end about 2" off the ground. The basic interior dimensions are 4' tall (3.5 in the back) x 4' wide x 2.5' deep. I only have 3 birds right now, but I know I can easily fit 12 pigeons inside. A guy from my NAVHDA group who's raising pigeons, seems to think I could probably fit 2 dozen. I don't have a lot of experience there, nor have I seen anyone else's coop in person, so maybe someone with better knowledge could estimate that. I've only got 1 dog, so 12+ birds will do me fine. Will definitely need to make perches when I up the number. Currently have a nice tree branch inside. And yeah, if Roxi pup is off leash, she always makes sure to go check in on her pigeons.

Have PM'd you cocdawg. Denise

Ryan Baumann · Post by **Ryan Baumann** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:00 pm

Thanks for posting that. I am going to build mine tomorrow.

WiskeyJaR · Post by **WiskeyJaR** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 6:10 pm

thats the exact style Im using, except the aviary on mine is is lots bigger. 4'x6' I had 10 birds in there when they started to lay eggs. Works great.

ohiogsp · Post by **ohiogsp** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:35 pm

It is simular to this one. http://www.uplandbirddog.com/training/loft.html

Here is some post I did that show some of my lofts.

http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewto ... highlight=

http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewto ... highlight=

wems2371 · Post by **wems2371** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:51 pm

ohiogsp--How many birds do you feel are appropriate for your lofts in your link photos? I still think I'm going to only have 12+, but was curious what you felt was appropriate for yours.

Thanks for the nest box ideas. I'm assuming that a person doesn't use any birds on nests for training, because they would be off the eggs too long while outside the coop? Seems obvious :roll: --but I'm just curious. Until I get more pigeons, I use all of my small group during a training session. Denise

ohiogsp · Post by **ohiogsp** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 5:49 pm

The loft is good for up to 24 birds. More than that you will have more birds not come back and more sickness. I don't use birds from a pair that are on eggs cause if it don't come back or something you loose both babies. These lofts are the perfect size for training dogs cause you can keep enough to have birds breeding and train with some. The rest are shooters. This loft can supply you with enough pigeons to do everything you want plus it is still portable. I have moved mine several times just need 4 guys.

highcotton · Post by **highcotton** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 6:26 pm

ohiogsp wrote:It is simular to this one. http://www.uplandbirddog.com/training/loft.html

Here is some post I did that show some of my lofts.

http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewto ... highlight=

http://www.gundogforum.com/forum/viewto ... highlight=

ohiogsp, How many pigeons will the loft house? Oops, I didn't read far enough. Sorry...
Charles

Rick Hall · Post by **Rick Hall** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:52 am

Another lice-getter is a small handful of Twenty Mule Team Borax in the birds' bath water. Pigeons love to bathe, and the borax whacks their bugs.

Rick Hall · Post by **Rick Hall** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 6:29 am

And since we're sharing lofts, here's my third (and likely last):

My first, the enclosed corner of a livestock shed, was too large to readily catch the particular birds I wanted to use and was a chore to clean. My second, a 7' tall walk-in with just a 4'x4' footprint, was so small that working in it was problematic, as was stockpiling birds for times when I wished to shoot a bunch in short period. But my third attempt, another 7' tall walk-in with a slightly larger 4'x6' footprint, still seems the charm after three years of use.

Will, if need be, house 30 or so grown birds which are easily caught from one spot, while still leaving me room to enter and work in the loft with little worry of birds slipping out as I enter or exit or my getting well wing-flogged and having to breath pigeon poop dust. Most droppings simply fall through its grate flooring, where they're easily shoveled up and carted off during semi-annual, Spring and Fall cleanings, which is also the only time most of the interior needs cleaned. And that interior, except for the nest boxes, is designed to be hosed out, again reducing the need to breath potentially hazardous pigeon poop dust. Nests are also designed for ease of cleaning, which they require after every few broods, and their easily defensible "duplex" design not only allows cleaning while a pair has eggs or young but spurs production by making it easy for the pairs to raise two families at once without wasting time battling over nesting turf.

Please note, however, that while my fairly open design is just the thing for hot Louisiana Summers and fine for our winters, it could be too open for really cold climates. Dunno. But I thought I'd throw it out there to help stir the creative juices of those thinking about lofts...

windswept · Post by **windswept** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 4:33 pm

Rick,
I really like your "3rd and final" coop.
I have never kept birds before so I have a few questions for anyone willing to answer.
Rick, how do the birds get back into you coop (or are you not using homers)?
I know that I need a special door for the homers to get back in but my question is how do you keep skunks, coons, neighbor cat etc... out?
I live in South Dakota (cold climate). Does everyone keep their birds alive over the winter or do you just start over every spring?
Thanks for the help.
Tom

glk7243 · Post by **glk7243** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 8:45 pm

You need some sort of system to let the pigeons back in. But a cover at night to keep the varmints out.

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windswept · Post by **windswept** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:05 pm

Thanks. That makes perfect sense.

Rick Hall · Post by **Rick Hall** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:25 am

Tom, mine being a lazy man's loft, there's nothing elaborate about its "trap":

but it was placed to reduce past predator worries to nil. You name it, fur, feather or scaly skin, and if it ate pigeons or eggs, it found its way into my first loft. But this one has too much slick metal siding between the trap and anything ground predators can climb for them to reach it. And the side of the loft it's on puts it out of sight and mind of the big live oaks our prey birds invariably choose to watch from. Knock wood! Some snakes could still get in, but they couldn't get out with a swallowed egg, so their first would be their last. That, however, hasn't been tested in this loft's three years. (Knocking that wood again.)

As you can see, the above photo was taken before dawn this morning, and, as has become my lazy self's custom, I'd left the trap open to avian predation over night. That lapse hasn't cost us a bird yet. (More knocking on wood.) But when I know a prey bird is around, in which case the pigeons that normally hang out against the wire stay away from it, I raise the trap's hinged perch, just in case:

windswept · Post by **windswept** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 8:52 am

Thanks Rick,
Nice of you to get up and take the time to post a picture for me. I do appreciate it.
Tom