# Breeding Space



## CGull (Mar 26, 2013)

I believe 2 sf/bird is the standard minimum space for homers? 

I am building a new loft and will have a dedicated area for breeding pairs, separate from the birds I fly and train with on a regular basis. 

Is 2 sf/bird the minimum space required for my breeding stock as well? 

What size should their nest box area be?


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

I'm moving from a open loft setting to an individual breeding pen set up. Mainly because I want to guarantee who the birth parents of each young bird coming out of the breeding loft is. 

I'm making the pens 2 feet square and I believe that is good room for a pair of pigeons and a set of babies. They won't be in the pens all year, just for 3 rounds and then the cocks/hens will be separated into different lofts where they have a bit more freedom in the off season. 

It's definitely a space saver. I'm building an 8 foot by 8 foot breeding loft right now. In an open loft thats about 32 birds max that should be kept in there. 

Well I'm building 18 pens in there so it works out to be 36 birds. 4 birds isn't a whole lot more but the thing to keep in mind is the amount of space I would have for myself when they're breeding. I potentially have an 8 X 4 feet of space for me to be inside the loft and not have 32 birds flying everywhere and not allowing me to do the work.

Plus being in a residential area, it decreases the amount of noise thats produced (you don't have cocks fighting over space and unnecessary flapping of wings.

So for me, it works out great and each pair gets individual attention and individual record of health and progress. Win/win situation.


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## CGull (Mar 26, 2013)

Are the birds locked into these pens 24/7?


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## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

CGull said:


> I believe 2 sf/bird is the standard minimum space for homers?
> 
> I am building a new loft and will have a dedicated area for breeding pairs, separate from the birds I fly and train with on a regular basis.
> 
> ...


The honest truth is, 2 square feet per bird is good for racing pigeons that are let out to loft fly all the time. Not for breeders who mostly are kept locked in. Once you get to the point where you have your breeders, youngsters on the ground, and eggs and more babies in the boxes, you will realize 2 square feet isn't enough. In an 8 x 8 coop I wouldn't put more than 10-12 pairs although according to the two square feet rule I could put 16.


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

I built mine 2 foot square and made the panel between removable. Glad I did, 2ft square made it tough, now I have 2' by 4' and works well plus I can still put wall in for open loft later.


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

My loft is 12' by 10' with 12 pairs of birds, room for more if needed


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

CGull said:


> Are the birds locked into these pens 24/7?


Yes they are. Some people may think that 2 X 2 X 2 feet might be small for a pair of breeders and a round of babies. But what needs to be kept in mind is that during the time they are in the individual pen, the only thing on their mind is breeding. They don't have a whole lot of room but that helps with conserving their energy for feeding babies. They aren't fighting with other birds and the nest/babies are protected from aggressive birds. 

After being separated from their mate from months August, September, October, November, and December, they are anxiously waiting to breed and the small space does not harm them. If people can keep 20 rollers in a small kit box, I'm sure a pair of racers can do fine in a 2 X 2 X 2 and they have done fine for me


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

If they are prisoners I believe that min space is BS, I would hate to see my birds locked up like that, If they have a large outdoor aviary then maybe that would be ok for the loft itself but IMO no one should ever aim to have the min space avail, but instead keep numbers down and make the loft as large as possible to ensure there is always "free space" in the loft.


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