Pigeon Coop and Training Birds

[Pappy]

I got a new shot hair pup on the way and it will be arriving around spring time, and I am planning on trying to raise some homer pigeons. I have raised phesants, quail but never any pigeons. The phesants were great for training the dog but I am trying to cut down on the cost. I have a small bird pen which is approximately 15 x 10 feet x 9. I also have a water source. What do I need to get some bird going to reproduce. I have read some of the post about homer pigeons. If I purchase 4 will that be enough to reporduce more birds for training my dog. How much does a homer pigeon cost so I don't get ripped off. Are their any plans on building a coop out there. I would like to get this project started so maybe I could have some birds ready by June is that is possible

[DonF]

I've had ferals forever but last winter got three pairs of homer's from a local rancher that races them. Spring hit and they startged laying. Right now out there I have 22 birds counting the six origional birds. I lost one origional bird, had two eggs that broke in the nest, three got hit by hawks, one had a board fall on it and another just gone. That makes my six origional birds turned into 30 this fall. They reprodduce real well. Counting my feral birds I haven't bought a pigeon in over 22 yrs! Out of my feral loft i've got 30 right now but I gave 30 away this year to guy's wanting tom start a loft. Your gonna learn to love pigeon's! Pen raised game birds just don't co-operate well enough!

For a loft I used one old chicken house with a big enclosed area out back, and the ferals are in a 12' x 12' garden tool house that was here when I bought the place. Not hard at all to build one. Four walls and a roof will do. I use plywood for the floor, easy to clean up. Then you need a door for you to go in, and a trap where the birds can come and go. I've got bob's on my loft's but it has occured to me that I don't really need the bons, just a varmit door. They don't get out unless I open the door for then and they are all back in by dark; close the varmit door. Allow about 2 sq ft per bird.

[gsp3333]

I started with 10 birds about 6 mos. ago and now have about 16. Just get some birds and put in nest boxes. I get 2 chicks from each pair about every 2 mos.

[Pappy]

how do you make the area for the birds to nest ?

[trueblu]

Feed Layena and you'll have so many flying rats you won't have enough people to give them to.

[ROTTnBRITT]

I built the same loft as shown in HOF post on pigeons. I wanted to get there wing strength back up since they had not flown in two months. I started leaving them out during the day to fly free.
Funny how fast a big red tail figured this out. I'm down to 6 from 12. One took his own life with our French door. Be aware of this. Mine are staying in until I get some chick out of them. Don't want to have to buy more.

[DonF]

how do you make the area for the birds to nest ?

I've got a few perches a wall top all around and made a few nest's for them, not to mention they use the old hen nest's in there. If they have a problem with the nest's you provide, they just nest on the floor, usually in a corner.

This is one side, the side that the varmit door is on. If you look at the right edge about 2/3 way up you'll see a small shelf, it's a nest. I made it so I can just slide it out to clean it, much easier. The roost at the back is my old chicken roost. I've since took out the bottom pole to make it easier to clean under.


This is the other side of the loft. I put that wire wall in there to seperate the yound birds from the old one's. Left side is a perch and then a feeder I made to put treats into. Under the nest box's you see a red can. That can is a plastic three pound coffee can. I cut two holes in the side about 2/3 way down and that is for water. The box's on the wall over the nest's were a brain storm Idea I had; didn't work to well! The brooder has been moved to a small flight pen I have for quail chicks next spring. The garbage can holds pigeon feed. On the right side of the box's and just under them is a jar I keep leg bands in and small plastic wire ties. First I screwed the lid up then I just screw the jar on from underneath. Have one in both loft's.


This is just the landing board and the trap. I've been leaving the bob's up and close the varmit door at night. I can reach that door from a small porch to the right and it lock's down. I should have made the landing board a bit bigger.


This is the back, notice the enclosed big pen? I use this side of the loft to teach young birds to trap. There is a trap right next to the window on the bottm left. I don't think you can see it here.


I had no plans just put it together.

Good call saving them for chick's. I haven't bought a pigeon in over 20yrs. In fact I don't recall ever buying one, I got my first one's out of old buildings. Local pigeon racer gave my the three pair to start with homer's. I've read that the average life of a pigeon is 15 yrs!

[Setters4ever]

I haves raise them for years now. About1- 2 sq ft a bird is a good size space for them. But it is really just you need a perch a bird basically. Depending on the bloodline and breeder. Homers could be $5 up. Right now up here in NY they are averaging $7-$10 each. They bird very quick. 2 eggs and babies each clutch. One they raise that clutch they will lay another clutch. Mine up here lay and hatch year round being in a shed. But the babies might not all make it due to the cold weather if the parents don't sit on them long. If you have any other questions you can email me if you want.

[Pappy]

Thanks for the info, i just started to build the coop today. Spent $80 in lumber and used some scraps around the shop. Another two days and I will be done. I will just have to find some homing pigeons.
Thanks again for the info.
Pappy

[isonychia]

will mature pigeons poop out in the aviary instead of in their "house"

[DonF]

will mature pigeons poop out in the aviary instead of in their "house"

Yes they will poop out in the aviary. They will also poop in the house. They even poop on their perch and in their nest's. Truth is that birds in general are pig's!

BTW. Went and cleaned out my feral pen yesterday. Do it a couple times a week. Haven't been watching nest areas. seems like the wrong time of year to do it. Well testerday there was a broken egg on the floor. I looked in some nesting boxs and I have one maybe 10 days old. Hope I don't lose it to the cold, if the cold ever get's here!

[isonychia]

will mature pigeons poop out in the aviary instead of in their "house"

Yes they will poop out in the aviary. They will also poop in the house. They even poop on their perch and in their nest's. Truth is that birds in general are pig's!

BTW. Went and cleaned out my feral pen yesterday. Do it a couple times a week. Haven't been watching nest areas. seems like the wrong time of year to do it. Well testerday there was a broken egg on the floor. I looked in some nesting boxs and I have one maybe 10 days old. Hope I don't lose it to the cold, if the cold ever get's here!

I used to breed parrots, they won't poop in their nests unless they are hatchlings. I'm going to give my pigeon loft an 1/2" mesh floor, will they get too cold? they will still have boxes with more protection, seems like pigeons could live anywhere really

[ezzy333]

Your pigeons will be fine with a wire floor but in your climate I would extend the sides down to ground level if I was going to do that.
Ezzy

[ezzy333]

will mature pigeons poop out in the aviary instead of in their "house"

Yes they will poop out in the aviary. They will also poop in the house. They even poop on their perch and in their nest's. Truth is that birds in general are pig's!

BTW. Went and cleaned out my feral pen yesterday. Do it a couple times a week. Haven't been watching nest areas. seems like the wrong time of year to do it. Well testerday there was a broken egg on the floor. I looked in some nesting boxs and I have one maybe 10 days old. Hope I don't lose it to the cold, if the cold ever get's here!

The birds will nest all winter if you provide extra light normally. Some of my young birds are starting to lay now which I don't need but I am starting to pair up the breeders so I can get them to start the middle of Dec. Hope to get two rounds out of them by February for the young bird racing team for this coming summer and fall.

Ezzy

[Brittguy]

I built the same loft as shown in HOF post on pigeons. I wanted to get there wing strength back up since they had not flown in two months. I started leaving them out during the day to fly free.
Funny how fast a big red tail figured this out. I'm down to 6 from 12. One took his own life with our French door. Be aware of this. Mine are staying in until I get some chick out of them. Don't want to have to buy more.

You will always have losses to hawks if you fly from late fall to early spring. Some racing people I know never fly their birds this time of the year.