# Not quite an electric blanket but....



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Well, I finally gave in to the sad little eyes and hooked up a heating lamp in the tent tonight.....love at first sight! Suddenly, perches no longer held their appeal, and the floor was looking better and better. I just took an infrared bulb and put it inside a metal cage, then placed it inside the tent away from the walls, of course. The effect was immediate, as you all can imagine. Pigeons came down in twos and threes until most were around the cage, toasting their buns. It's already several degrees warmer inside the tent than outside, since it is covered very well, but still down to 27 the last few nights. Last year we had some cold nights and everyone seemed fine through them, but last year I also had the "fancy" pigeons inside, as I only had three. With the addition of this year's Satinettes and Sophie, who's a Modena, I think they seem a bit more fragile and all of them certainly welcome the warmth (who wouldn't??) With Penny, who's quite small, getting ruffled this morning (that's another thread, she's inside now and eating and drinking fine), I just thought it was better to be safe than sorry and see how a heat lamp would work out. I'll try to get some pictures, they look so cute all hanging out in the baskets and spots on the floor (which is a safe place). I keep peeking in at them and almost expecting them to be having hot cocoa with marshmallows.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Soooo, ya got your pijies spoiled as well, huh?! You softie!


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Just taking after you, Victor! You are often an example when I tell people how much some of us spoil our birds! There are many other examples on here, of course. I managed to snap a few pictures of them lounging (some were taken last night and some this morning early.....at times when normally there would be NO birds on the floor yet) :


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Maryjane, you are an old softie - in the very best way! Looks like your babies are enjoying the warmth from the lamp.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

WAY TO GO, MJ!! They all look quite comfy and cozy! Hey, our birds are for spoiling!

JerseyGeorge mentioned to me about using a ceramic heater. He really seems to like it. Anyone use one of those? I asked him to post info on it, but he's been busy...


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

They are indeed happy and maybe just a teensy, eensy bit spoiled.  This is the first heat source I've used, but have also heard of using a ceramic heater. The heat lamp is perfect since it clips inside the small cage and is safe for them to get close to. I just went out and plugged it in and was met with looks of relief...."Whew, we were really hoping last night wasn't a one-time deal, Mom!"


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I keep a droplight in my loft and it puts out some warmth. There are some birds that like to land on the cord and perch there. I've always worried that somebody's going to burn some feet someday but it hasn't happened yet in several years. Just make sure that they can't cause a problem because I know a lady that burned a house down with a rescued puppy that she'd put a droplight in with for warmth (in a cardboard box).

Pidgey


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

I really do believe that they appreciate the warmth and enjoy it immensely. I allow my pigeons the run of the coop and the ceramic heater is unplugged in the day as long as it doesn't not get too cold, and we have had a fairly mild Fall/pre-Winter (so far).By late afternoon, they are usually all in their appropriate cages,they are so smart) so I close their doors, and turn on the heat. I only put it on medium to keep it comfortable inside. I do keep the coop clean every day to insure their is no debris/feathers especially around the heat source. I like Maryjane's idea of how she puts the heat lamp inside a cage. I am looking into doing that with our ceramic heater once the windchill temperatures return. I can allow them to free roam and yet keep the heater on, in a safe containment.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

mr squeaks said:


> WAY TO GO, MJ!! They all look quite comfy and cozy! Hey, our birds are for spoiling!
> 
> JerseyGeorge mentioned to me about using a ceramic heater. He really seems to like it. Anyone use one of those? I asked him to post info on it, but he's been busy...


Darn, I posted something about a ceramic heater just above this post and see I somehow missed your post Shi. 

My pigeons and I really love it too. I purchased it brand new early fall, and it only cost us less that 15 dollars. I plan on replacing it yearly since it is getting many hours of usage.

If anyone plans on buying a heater, please make sure it is NOT Teflon coated. It is lethal to birds.

Just practice some common sense when using one:

Make sure the cord is not near the front

Keep the area clear of debris,papers, and feathers

Check daily to insure the front is clear of obstructions

Wipe the front off with a damp cloth (heater unplugged) to remove dander

If the birds are confined at night in the loft or coop, place it so that the fan heat is not blowing on them. Should the heating element go out, all they will getting is cold DRAFTY air....not good.If the pigeons are loose at night in a community setting at night, find a way to secure the heat source so the pigeons do not burn themselves.An old cage perhaps or box in in with hardware cloth, but make sure it gets free flowing air in and out.

Turn unit off, or better yet, unplug the heater when not in use. Mine gets unplugged every morning. The sunlight beams down through the front of the plastic covered hardware cloth and acts as a greenhouse providing warmth during the daylight hours.


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## christina11 (Jan 20, 2006)

Aww your pigeons look nice & warm  

It's actualy warm around here & no signs of snow yet, it realy makes me sad because I think global warming might be the cause of no snow in parts of Canada, I mean people call it Cold Canada but now it's warm .. rainy & foggy.

I dout we'll have a white Christmas, but then again I should not give up hope lol.

I have a hot lamp I use to check in on the pigeons at night, they love to cuddle up towards the heat .. I had a heater untill my mom droped it lol, well it's not cold so I geuss they have no use for a new heater .. I hope it snows.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

*Baby it's cold outside!*

Hi all~I thought it would be best to place an up-date here on Maryjane's thread since some of the members and I were discussing temperatures and heat sources with our pet pigeons. 

As most of you know, I adopted pigeons from Treesa,feral pigeon, Jgregg,and Oxymoran, so this is also for them as well.

The temperatures here in Nebraska have plummeted to below freezing with some snow heated directed towards us and temperatures remaining in the freeze zone for a week. 

This morning I checked on our pigeons and the heat was set just above the medium level. It was cool in the pigeon coop but the drinking water dishes were not frozen...well almost all of them. Paris' sleeping cage is set the farthest distance from the heat source, and his water was starting to crystallize,not good. The ACV water, which I keep in a cabinet with the seeds was frozen almost solid, and the gal. water container was half full, and had a frozen layer forming on top. That was at floor level by the coop door. 

I turned up the heat, and kept the pigeons secured for the most part of the day, as I was called in to come in early at my primary job today. 

When I got home tonight, the temperature was 9 degrees, (but our weather program indicated it "feels like -6 degrees. As soon as I walked in my wife Bev, and one of my daughters Lisa (Coolpigeons mom) informed me that I was to put them in the laundry room in the house (former pigeon room). I told them that I was planning on checking the inside of the coop, but I was over-ruled. I am glad I was not given a choice, it was cool (not cold) but nonetheless, I did bring them all inside till we get over this cold blast that is going through. 

They are all inside now, nice and warm and unbelievably quiet...that is a shock.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Victor said:


> They are all inside now, nice and warm and unbelievably quiet...that is a shock.


Thank you Victor and all family members! This might not have been necessary, but it sure is nice! It's supposed to get down to the 20's here this weekend .. almost unheard of in So Cal, but feels to me like it's gonna do it, so we are battening down the hatches here.

Terry


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Maryjane,

I bet your pigeons REALLY appreciate how sensitive to their needs, you are. They look so cute and cuddly among the group.

Thank you for sharing.


Victor,

I appreciate your bringing the birds in, and thank you and your family for doing so, *even if it may not have been necessary.* 
I would hate to see Rosco freezing his little Florida buns off!


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Old motto - "better to be safe than sorry".  

Victor, I automatically tune in now when the weather in the cities of our regular members is given. I thought about you this morning when I read the temps and heard about all the snow and ice. All of you, humans and birds, take care of yourselves. I think this front is headed our way about the middle of next week but I don't think the temps will be as low as yours.


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

Trees Gray said:


> I would hate to see Rosco freezing his little Florida buns off!





Lady Tarheel said:


> Old motto - "better to be safe than sorry".
> 
> Victor, I automatically tune in now when the weather in the cities of our regular members is given. I thought about you this morning when I read the temps and heard about all the snow and ice.


We too would hate to see his little Florida buns freezing off, as well as our Sunny California ones. Tooter was an indoor pigeon since we rescued him in 2004 and though he handled the extreme winter last year when he came up missing in action, he is after all Tooter! Point here is most of our pigeons have always enjoyed being in a warm environment and if we can help them through some harsh days, well we can put up with the extra noise and "debris" in the laundry room till conditions get a little better. 

Paris and Barbie are probably more acclimatized to cold weather from their "wild side" and outdoor "experience" but they are family too and shall reap the benefit too!

Maggie~ that is so very _thoughtful_ of you to check in on members bad weather conditions.  

The actual temperature at this posting is 9 degree with a windchill of minus 5 and it uis snowing. Maybe the kids and I can go sleeding tomorrow?


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Wow and I thought it was cold here (below 20 last night!). It's always nice to see others spoiling their birds.....it's like I told the owner of the feed store (who told me that my pigeons don't need a heat lamp, they have extra feathers, blah blah blah  ), they certainly do prefer the heat over no heat! I have a few who would be sitting IN the heat lamp if they could get any closer.  I went out two nights ago to bring those four in (they are always next to the lamp) but they scattered and I was upsetting everyone so I let them be, and they were just fine. The news people had me so freaked out yesterday about how cold it was going to be last night (they were saying 17 or lower possibly, and ahem, *45* is *cold* to us!) so I added another heat lamp and then took a roll of plastic tarping (the kind you use for painting) and wrapped the tent up good. Then I almost went out there to sleep in the middle of the night, I think it was warmer out there than in my house!  So far no probs whatsoever with the heat lamp and it works like a charm. I also noticed on the box it came in, that it is guaranteed for 6,000 hours and if anything goes wrong, you just mail it to the address on the box and they send a replacement. Nice.  Stay warm, everyone!


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