# Nesting Materials



## sweetpea (Aug 20, 2004)

Hi all, should I be providing nest materials all year round for my doves, so its all ready there when the birds and bees start calling or should I start to providing it when the spring approaches. My worst fear is that if nesting material was available in the winter time then my doves would start laying eggs in the winter.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

You don't have to provide it year round, but the birds will nest when they feel like it anyways. If there is no nesting material around, then they will just make do with nothing or carry weird odds and ends to make a nest out of whatever they can get their beaks on. If there is nothing for them to use at all then they will just lay eggs on a hard surface if they are so inclined.



Brad


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Like Brad says, if they want to nest they will, whatever you provide or not.

I have two feral pigeons right here on my balcony (Bluebar & Twinkle) who have been building nests for months. They have a makeshift shelter to keep wind and rain off and, tho it is now winter in the UK, they are still at it 

But they are sitting on plastic eggs

John


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

sweetpea said:


> Hi all, should I be providing nest materials all year round for my doves, so its all ready there when the birds and bees start calling or should I start to providing it when the spring approaches. My worst fear is that if nesting material was available in the winter time then my doves would start laying eggs in the winter.


Hello Sweet Pea,

Last year I did not even use any nesting material ! Just their felt nesting pads inside their nest bowl. They would add a feather now and then, so they are not real fussy.


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## Lynnette (Dec 12, 2004)

*nesting*

I'm very interested to read this discussion. Is it a good idea to provide a nesting bowl? Would the pigeons then bring nesting material into the bowl, or would I need to put this in. I wonder how large pigeons usually make their own nests? be glad of any extra info. Thanks.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Lynette,

Pigeons are very variable in their nesting. I doubt any would qualify for positions as architects or construction engineers, but some do build quite monumental structures whilst others may just have a few token twigs or bits of wire.

From what I have seen, pigeons in captivity, freely nesting in a nice cosy box seem more inclined to put some effort into the activity. I think the more experienced they are, the better the build.

We give the aviary pigeons tobacco stalks, as they are reputed to deter bugs, and they seem very happy when the bundle of stalks appears. One or two have their way of communicating their wish for building material, so we throw down a bunch of stalks and they come get them as they please (or not).

Some of ours have nest bowls, some just their boxes.

I have a pair of ferals on my balcony who nest, and I have given them a shallow bowl and nesting felts, they do the rest (a nice, neat woven round nest, in their case with twigs from the nearby gardens)


John (UK)


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## Lynnette (Dec 12, 2004)

*nesting*

thank you John. I'm not sure what the 'felts' are. I have a lot to learn. My 2 homers are 5 weeks old, so I have time to learn. I'm not even sure of their sexes yet. I intend getting another 2 or 4. I have quite a large dovecote ready. Grateful for all the info and little stories on this site. 
Lynnette. (NZ)


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Ah, the felts are round, soft pads about 8 to 10 inches across (at a guess) of a felt-like material which can fit in nest-bowls, or just placed in a nesting box, as a cosy base for a nest. They are obtainable from pigeon supply places (and through internet ordering)

John


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

John, where do you get the tobacco stalks from?

Reti


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## Bird_girl(Ronni (Nov 29, 2004)

The best thing I can say is, If the birds start to lay eggs let them in the house!


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## sweetpea (Aug 20, 2004)

Thanks all, great tips and adivce. One more thing do doves and pigeons prefer to be housed during the night with some type of soft lighting in the sleeping area. And Ronni the reason I decieded to house my doves outside was cos they would have produced babies all year round  if I had kept them indoors (they were cooing and bowing within a week of getting them when they were inside) and although I will properly keep a couple of babies I don't think my hubby would be very happy with a houseful of em


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Reti said:


> John, where do you get the tobacco stalks from?
> Reti


Foy's has them:

http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/disinfectant_pest_control/#Tobacco Stems

Terry


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Sweetpea - 

Pigeons would naturally roost where it is as dark as possible. No doubt urban pigeons and doves will often have to put up with some light, but not by choice.

The aviary birds and the 2 doves and pigeon who reside in Cynthia's bathroom at night have complete dark.


JOhn


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## pigeon george (Aug 7, 2003)

*twigs for thought*

I am a big fan of tobacco stalks the pet shop near me has them in stock people that dont want to use them can get plastic nest bowls that are not solid on the bottom but are like a web in the absence of twigs this web enables the young something to grab hold of as this is needed to prevent them from getting leg deformities " sorry cant spell the actuall word for that"
on weekends the coop is open all day and the birds will bring quite a bit of material on their own its funnt watching them pick up a twig than drop it in favor of a diffrent one


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Ah, thanks Terry.

Reti


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## Motherlodelofts (Oct 9, 2004)

Arty just toss some sawdust in the bowl


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## bird_14 (Jul 4, 2003)

i use pine needles during the winter after they fall from the tree, they usally sit for awhile. i use them when there is snow on the ground, my birds are kept inside. I do use straw but u have to change it after a while. I mostly use straw during the summer when there is not alot of pine neeldes around.


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## Bird_girl(Ronni (Nov 29, 2004)

ARTY? I think you should just take some nut shell, like we have, and put them in there.


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Pine needles and branches are mostly used by ferals and wild pigeons I guess (depending on where they are, I don't know what ferals use in other countries though)
My pet pigeon Dotty loves the pine needles (because he is a feral I guess) and Pearl will use anything really (rafia, spaghetti, pine needles, string.. she even carried a toilet roll in her mouth to the nest once! lol)

Don't use the green pine needles as they are still alive and smell quite strong, use the golden dried out ones either off the tree (you can find bunches of the still on the branch on the tree and it's cleaner to just pick them off this way) or like someone else mentioned to pick them up after it snows, dry them off and let your birds have them.


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