Added on nesting boxes

[Munster]

Spent the day with the hubby fashioning nesting boxes out of stuff we had laying around. We worked really good together and i dont think we did to bad of a job. Although, if you look closely you will see one of the dividers is actually an old garage sale sign! It was a blast to get out and enjoy the day the hubby before the craziness of summer begins.
Hope we can get some birds out of the deal too!

[Munster]

[rlrobinhood]

NICE!!!! What kind of pigeons do you run?

[ezzy333]

Mary, that is a nice loft and nice looking birds. You did A good job. Put some dishes in the boxes for them to lay in. I use to use dog dishes and they work well. It will help to keep the eggs from being rolled out and the chicks will also stay in place better.

Ezzy

[DonF]

I would make another part for each box. Cut a piece of plywood that will fit into the nest by sliding. On the front add a lip a half to an inch above the plywood. Cleaning time just set the young one's in the next nest and slide out the floor. Scrape it off with a putty knife and reinstall with fresh hay. Nice loft!

[Munster]

Thanks Ezzy, I will do that. I may also just put a lip up there too. I have 17 in there and I think I may need to thin the herd so they will feel less crowded and more in the mood. There is a guy that told me he can sex the birds. Not sure if it is possible or not. But I do notice some have that thick thing on the beak. Is that an indicator?


They are nothing special as far as breed. They are a mix of feral I caught as babies and some homers from WI and some homers from another guy that happened to hang around. They work well for me. I only ask them to home about 2-5 miles.

[ezzy333]

Thanks Ezzy, I will do that. I may also just put a lip up there too. I have 17 in there and I think I may need to thin the herd so they will feel less crowded and more in the mood. There is a guy that told me he can sex the birds. Not sure if it is possible or not. But I do notice some have that thick thing on the beak. Is that an indicator?


They are nothing special as far as breed. They are a mix of feral I caught as babies and some homers from WI and some homers from another guy that happened to hang around. They work well for me. I only ask them to home about 2-5 miles.

If you watch them you can tell the hens from the cocks by their actions. The cocks will strut and drag their wings, will chase the hen trying to drive her to the nest, and many do have a broader cere or waddle on the top of the bill. I like the lip on the boxes except it makes them hard to clean. What ever works for you.

[Munster]

Thanks ezzy. One more thing. SHould I make the ratio in my coop more hen and less cocks? I need some kill pigeons to intro backing soon. I have no trouble cutting some cocks out of my coop for this.
Thanks

[V-John]

Mary, that is a nice loft and nice looking birds. You did A good job. Put some dishes in the boxes for them to lay in. I use to use dog dishes and they work well. It will help to keep the eggs from being rolled out and the chicks will also stay in place better.

Ezzy

Spot on.
Another thing, is that these bowls prevent the babies from ended up with splayed legs. Some folks use the bottom portion of the clay flower pots. The portion that catches all the water and such.

[Munster]

Thanks V-John

[DonF]

I also had the lip on the nest. Pain in the butt! Now I simply move the young one's, slide out the floor, scrape it and slide it back in.

[smittty]

my coop is only 4x6 and I keep 20 or so birds on hand ..so to save room what I did was took 6. 3 gallon square buckets and screwed them to the coop with the lids to the outside for easy clean up... works great save a lot of room