# New to forum!



## Gladys (Dec 16, 2007)

Hi, everyone!

I lovebirds...and in summer of 2003 this baby pigeon got into my live. Hand fed and cared for him. He lived in the house for a while and eventually learned to enjoy the outdoors and to roost in the laundry. 

He brought home several candidates and finally mated to this other white rock pigeon. We got him out of the house after the second offsprings. Got him (Paloma) a large cage from Aviary Connection (US CAGE) and placed it where they could see us and viceversa.

They had over two dozen babies that have gone with flocks. Main couple remains in the aviary.

Now, I would like to offer the offsprings with a safe place to roost. I do not race, sell, or do business with my pigeons. The main couple do not want other than the most recent babies inside the aviary. 

*What alternatives do I have as to offer a shelter to offsprings and other pigeons? Will they make from any roosting place a nesting/breeding area?*


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## horsesgot6 (May 30, 2007)

Where Are Your flock Of Pigeons Living / Roosting at Now. 
I would Say A Shed would Work Fine .
The Big Thing Is Getting Them To See the shed As Home. 
Even With the Shed You'll Need To Put Stuff They Can Roost On And nesting Boxes. 
Once You Get the shed Loft Safe and ready for Them You Will Need To Lock Them In For awhile and hope they Home To there New shed.


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## Gladys (Dec 16, 2007)

Hi, Jennifer!

Thanks for your interest!

When we lived in Florida flocks of 50 to 100 pigeons came each morning and evening to get food. I always provide wild bird feed and water. So, offsprings joined the flock and their routine.

In May of the current year we moved North of Atlanta. Only took the couple (Paloma and Mama Paloma) pigeons along with other pet birds. They continued to breed here but there are no flocks in the area. Offsprings stay in the neighborhood for a while and apparently join flocks 10 to 15 miles away (nearest flock I've seen), meanwhile they roost in our garage.

I'm concerned of their safety and general well being; predators, weather and food supply. My husband suggest to build a coop. I though on installing bird nests. Are there other options?


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Gladys said:


> My husband suggest to build a coop. I though on installing bird nests. Are there other options?


Hello Gladys, and a warm welcome to Pigeon Talk from cold Nebraska!

*I agree 100% with your husband on building a pigeon coop*. I built one with some help for my 6 pigeons. I now have 8, and a coop was the best thing I did. I also have an adjacent (soon to be attached) flight pen. The pigeons stay in their coop every evening till the next day if the weather warrents them flight time in the sun. Make sure the coop faces the south or southeast for optimum morning warm sunlight and keep any openings to a minimum (I have none) to the north.


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## horsesgot6 (May 30, 2007)

Yes A Coop will Be great For Them and Will keep Them Safe. 
Victor Hit Alot of very Good Points With The Way It Faces. 
Your coop Doesn't Have To Be Big And Fancy Just safe And drift Free. You Also have To Make Sure Your Coop Is Big enuff For the Pigeons You Have They Do Need Room To Move Around. And If You Plan On More Pigeons Make It Bigger For Those Birds You Don't Have Yet. To Slow The Hatching Of The babys You Can Replace There Eggs with Dummy Eggs After The 2 egg is Laid.


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## Gladys (Dec 16, 2007)

Describe an ideal coop, please. 

Do I have to close and release pigeons daily? 
What kind of roofing, and/or flooring?
Weather and predator protection?


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## horsesgot6 (May 30, 2007)

Here Is A few Links To Loft Plans :

http://www.uplandbirddog.com/training/loft.html

http://www.redroselofts.com/starter_loft.htm

These Links Are From A Member Here :

http://lovebirdsloft.homestead.com/page1.html
http://lovebirdsloft.homestead.com/LoftPlans.html


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## Gladys (Dec 16, 2007)

That is great, Jennifer!

I liked the intermediate loft plans from redroselofts. Thanks so much!
Ideas are welcomed!


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## horsesgot6 (May 30, 2007)

Yes i Like That Loft To Its A Easy Loft For Most Anyone To Have. 
You Can Add To The Loft Make It Bigger Or Smaller Which Ever Fits For What You are Looking For. You can also Put A fly Pen For Them If You don't Want them Flying Free.


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## maranda (Nov 18, 2007)

We built the redrose loft and it is very easy to build and inexpensive,. if you use the suggested materials.You may want to build the loft a little bigger just depending on how many birds you plan on keeping.

We modified the plans and built our loft bigger 16x8.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hello and thank you for feeding and helping our feral pigeons.

You might invest in some plastic dummy eggs to replace the eggs of the parents. The coop you build will end up to be be too small if you continue to allow them to breed. It really is okay to replace eggs with dummy eggs, it prevents overcrowding and overpopulation of our feral flock.


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## Gladys (Dec 16, 2007)

Treesa:

You made me laugh...and you are right!

Once I had a pigeon, then his mate, then a couple of babies, then another pair of babies, on and on...well I guess I didn't know what was I up to until now.

So now, I should substitute their fertilized eggs with dummy ones...


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Gladys said:


> Treesa:
> 
> You made me laugh...and you are right!
> 
> ...


They are rapid reproducers, and I would easily have over 300 pigeons if I didn't replace the eggs. You can replace the eggs as soon as both eggs are layed. Without incubation there is no cell division-no life, just a fertile egg. You can get dummy eggs from any pigeon supply house, like Global, Siegels, Foys and more.


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## Gladys (Dec 16, 2007)

*Sharing pictures of my pigeons...*

Here is baby and juvenile pictures of Paloma in 2003.

Found his mate in 2005. Mr. & Mrs. Paloma in a recent photo.


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## horsesgot6 (May 30, 2007)

How Pretty They Are. Love the Colors On Them. They Should Love The New Coop You Plan To Build Them. They Most Have Cute Baby's With Those Colors.


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## Gladys (Dec 16, 2007)

Maranda, do you have pictures of your loft?


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## horsesgot6 (May 30, 2007)

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=24358
This was A Loft That Someone On Here Did. 
You Can Find Other Pictures Of Lofts In The Loft Design Area Of The Forum.


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## CHRISTIN RN (Sep 2, 2007)

Warm Pecks of Welcome & Thanks, Gladys!
So glad you've joined our not-so-little nest of caring for our Beloved Feathered Friends!
You will find more and more that everyone here is most caring and helpful...as I'm sure you've realized already.
Please do take the advice of replacing with dummy eggs after the 2 eggs are layed. There are so many people whom are intent on diminishing the pigeon population via very horrible means which is heartbreaking to all of us. Your help will be appreciated as is your caring. 
I enjoyed the pics! Thanks for sharing!


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