# heating



## westy (Mar 4, 2006)

pepole say pigeons need to keep warm only young pigeons do the old ones can stand cold tempatures sop when pepole say he/she looks cold they aint.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Martin, 

You're right, adult pigeons if they are healthy and well fed can take extremely cold temperatures and do just fine. Trust me, living in Canada it gets COLD, much colder than in the UK and our feral pigeons manage to survive nicely.

Of course, cold can take it's toll on pigeons, especially the sick or infirm ones but most of them do manage each winter


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Main thing is that they are not in a draft or in damp conditions.

As you rightly say, they can take cold - and our cold is nothing to how it gets in Canada and many parts of the USA - unless they are not yet properly feathered, or are sick

John


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## westy (Mar 4, 2006)

yes i agree with both of you aslong as no damp its alright my motto is damp is disesse. i put a wire grill under the drinker so no damp is below the drinker.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

...and they can handle extreme hot temperatures too, like here where I live.

As said, they can't handle drafts of wind, nor moisture, puddles and dampness. Good ventilation is extremely important also.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Trees Gray said:


> ...Good ventilation is extremely important also.


I've read this many times, but it can be difficult to translate what an experienced person says into something specific for a new person. How could you tell when there is good (or bad) ventilation? What would you see (smell?) that would indicate good ventilation? If you used a robot with sensors, what evidence would you use to deternine that the ventilation needs to be improved? Thanks in advance!


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

Hi Terri,

When I read your post I had to make mention of our feral pigeons up here in the cold climes. My question is "how cold is too cold"? I know our pigeons can survive in this very cold weather but it should be put into a little perspective.

We have lost a large number of pigeons due to the last few cold snaps. Some of you who read about our bad weather will recall that Saskatoon temperatures fell to a very bitter 40 below celsius and as low as minus 47 with wind chill.

Since then I have noticed that the large downtown pigeon flocks have declined from flocks of 30-50 birds down to in some cases only 10 or 12 birds. 
This is despite them having extra feed on hand. The ones who did survive seem to spend a lot of their time sitting on top of rooftop heat vents (or stacks). Sometimes these amount to no more than chimney's in old buildings where the building warmth escapes up the open stacks to the outside air. 

Despite all this I have not yet found many casualties. There are not bird bodies littered all round the city by any means. All you actually notice is the abscence of birds where before there were large flocks. And I know they don't migrate so there is only one conclusion to come to. The very cold weather has indeed taken it's toll of pigeons and other wild birds. Sorry Terri, this didn't end up being about ventilation at all but rather about temperature extremes. Just thought others would want to know that all is not well in the cold climates. Extreme temps are fatal to the birds if they can't find warmth and shelter (or cool and shade) as the case may be. 

Cameron


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## westy (Mar 4, 2006)

i think it hot weather as long as they have smooth ventilation they will be fine.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

TerriB said:


> How could you tell when there is good (or bad) ventilation? What would you see (smell?) that would indicate good ventilation? If you used a robot with sensors, what evidence would you use to deternine that the ventilation needs to be improved? Thanks in advance!



*Thank you Terri, I will try to address this, as best as I can. When building a loft it is important to allow air flow, circulation of fresh air thru-out the coop, not drafts of air.

We have an area just under the roof, where roof meets wall, that is open on all four sides. There is no plywood, it is covered with hardware cloth and mosquito netting. It allows air flow continuesly, but rain doesn't enter as it is protected by roof, (with the exception of hurricane force winds which blow sideways....)

We also have a storm door we open on nice days that opens to the aviary, and a sliding door that opens to the dining room, and that opens to the aviary. 

All these things contribute to a well ventilated loft, air circulating from all directions, opposed to drafts which is air funneling from an opening on one side thru another opening on the opposite side.

There isn't any smell other then the smell of pigeons, nothing foul, although is still a little dusty, it is overall much cleaner then any confined enclosure. If the air is stagnit, over whelming smell and very dusty, and the birds are showing signs of respiratory ailments, then it is time to improve ventilation. *


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Cameron, thanks for sharing your observations. After reading in the pigeon vet's book that the ideal temp for pigeons' good health is between 65 and 75 degrees Farenheit, we added a ceramic heater to our small coop (on a shelf, behind hardware cloth/screening to keep out feathers, etc.). We also added a remote temp sensor, so I know that, right now, the birds are a toasty 65.1 degrees,  Since we have only a few birds and they are older, I was glad we could add this.

I appreciate the details you provided, Treesa. This gives me a better idea of what is meant by good ventilation. Our coop has five screened vents around the bottom that can be left open or closed off with panels, as needed, so I think things are okay. Thanks!


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## Camrron (Dec 19, 2005)

You are very welcome of course Terri. Up until the last few weeks I myself was beginning to believe that pigeons could handle almost any temps but it is not the truth. They have suffered up here terribly and the reduced flock sizes are the proof. These pigeons here are not migratory birds, nor are they anywhere else to my knowledge. There has been a very considerable die-off. 


The point is that we should/we must, protect out birds against temperature extremes, high or low.


Cameron


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## westy (Mar 4, 2006)

i was told by exprienced fanciers in racing that pigeons can stand cold tempatures but not hot tempatures without ventilation


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

That might be true of racing pigeons, Martin - they should be fine in a loft - but in really cold places, feral pigeons can die in great numbers in a severe winter. It is always touch and go whether they find sufficient food to help them through a cold night (or day) and if they do not, then malnutrition and hypothermia can combine to kill them.

John


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Camrron said:


> The point is that we should/we must, protect out birds against temperature extremes, high or low.
> Cameron



Hi Cameron,

I feel bad for all our feral friends who have to endure temporatures both high and low. They are faced with all the elements of nature, as well as having to eek out an excistance where food is not plentiful. I'm sure it does take its toll on them

I have to remind myself that I live in a very warm climate and right now it is very comfortable for all birds, as well as people. I can protect my own birds from weather extremes, but unfortunitely I can't do the same for our ferals, except provide them water should they come by.

In our hot summer, however, my birds, seem to do very well, but that is of course because they are domestic and pampered. They have ample water, food, ventilation in the loft, outdoor aviary and of course swimming pools and such. I freshen their water regurlarly and even add a few cubes of ice. It is also my responsibility to make sure that if they fly, they go outside in the early hours of the day, not when it gets hot. 

I can't control the weather, but I certainly do all I can to keep them comfortable, wish I could do the same for our ferals.


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