# Cheaper than dirt nest boxes



## slipperyd12 (Nov 7, 2007)

Hi All 

I have been experimenting with nest boxes for about three years. The way I work, some weeks I may only have a few minutes a day to tend to my birds. I tried the coventional boxes with the dowel door front boxes. I tried the milk crates and all kind of shelf boxes. But my birds love these small boxes, I left one on the floor and the next morning one had taken it over. I currently have 12 babies in these. They are made from a single picket fence board. I get two boxes out of one picket. The small pigeons poop over the side so the box stays fairly clean, I just change the straw between hatchings. They use them high up or sitting on the floor. I have raise around 50 in these. Hopefully the pictures are attached.

Just thought someone might could use these on a budget.
Good luck
John


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Good input John and thanks for the pictures.

I used to use tomato crates from the vegetable market  Remove the top cover side and pull off one piece on the front side, it used to give a good nest box almost similar to those in your pictures


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

They look like neat boxes and I can see where they would love them...and if and when I enlarge my loft I might just try some boxes like that attached to the wall..thanks . c.hert


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

*Whats the size of them?*


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## birds+me=happy (May 21, 2009)

I was in a golf tournament about an hour away from here and we saw someone selling orange(Fruit) crates (a little smaller that 2 ft. wide and 1 foot tall) for two bucks a peice. They are just absoblutaly perfect!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I like a bigger nest box so that the babies can stand up and walk around in it. When your babies are standing and walking, they will be out of there. That's when they get into trouble. They should be able to get out of the nest, but still be in the nest box. And the parents should be able to fit in the box with them.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

Jay3 said:


> I like a bigger nest box so that the babies can stand up and walk around in it. When your babies are standing and walking, they will be out of there. That's when they get into trouble. They should be able to get out of the nest, but still be in the nest box. And the parents should be able to fit in the box with them.


I agree 100% with Jay3....The little ones need room once they are ready to walk around. With such a small nest box they will most likely end up on the floor sooner than you would want them too, IMO.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Yea but you could adjust for that (maybe build shelves around the boxes) everything is adjustable to make birds happy--its a on going experience this bird stuff as we all know---and for little space sometimes it might be really good for it sure is a very simple idea with good results--the persons pigeons are thriving....c.hert


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## slipperyd12 (Nov 7, 2007)

I will post the size when I get home from work tonight. As far as them getting out of the nest, once and a while one will. Most of the time I leave them out, by that time they have feathers every where but under their wings and they start eating from the feeder or one of the parents feeds them on the floor for a few days then I seperate them with my other young birds. These boxes seem to work too well for me. I rarely lose any young and I have to put wood eggs in to slow the production down. The size inside is 9X5 1/2 The end boards are 9 1/2 tall
Good luck!!
John


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

c.hert said:


> Yea but you could adjust for that (maybe build shelves around the boxes) everything is adjustable to make birds happy--its a on going experience this bird stuff as we all know---and for little space sometimes it might be really good for it sure is a very simple idea with good results--the persons pigeons are thriving....c.hert


I've been adjusting for as long as I've had pigeons.

Not everyone has to follow suite as we all know. It's whatever works for your situation and whatever works for your birds....


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

That is so true Goldenboy55 for we get ideas from here and there and whatever makes our lofts and birds happy as well as ourselves and we will be adjusting things for the rest of our lives for at least I feel I will for I have been doing it all my life...Those boxes have some very good assets that I like--one is space--two is comfortable for the bird laying--three seems to be safer ...and four that nesting tobacco sticks can be build up a little with soft dry out droppings ---I like the simplicity of it and I love the fact it is space saver as well ---I like it---and if you scoop it out the proper way roundest for the bird one would not have to buy a nest bowl and when it is time for me to do this when I enlarge my loft with a sliding door (24 inch) connection I am going to seriously think about the nest box and just see how it all works out--I am glad the person posted that picture of reality...Thanks Slipperyd12 c.hert


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Well, doing it this way, the cock never really has a nest box. It's just a nest. My birds are in the box with their babies where they should be. I'd rather keep it as a family unit, rather than two babies left alone. Each to his own.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

they look pretty secure in there and would or may cut down on nest box fighting, not much to fight over!..lol.. but yes the not quite weaned babies do not have a place to go when the hen wants to lay again..


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## Big T (Mar 25, 2008)

Jay3 said:


> I like a bigger nest box so that the babies can stand up and walk around in it. When your babies are standing and walking, they will be out of there. That's when they get into trouble. They should be able to get out of the nest, but still be in the nest box. And the parents should be able to fit in the box with them.


While I agree with you. Also easy for the male to defend with a four by ten inch door. Can lock up the nest for breeding, widowhood....... to name a few reasons to go with the box. BUT!!!! for the small time backyard little loft, for the young person wanting a few birds, very limited loft space can you see how this is good. In the wild the nest are on small ledges and cracks. Also, within a week of getting out of the nest my young are out of the box, (kids, they grow up so fast).

Many lofts, many nestboxes, mother nature will use what she can. floor!!!

Tony


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

I started my personal bondage with pigeons using a single tomato crate  Not more than 12 in x 8 in x 8 in for the pair !!! The crate was kept on a cement block in the backyard and the pair was only left out of the box twice a day for 2 hours for feeding and exercising. With time more and more crates were added for the grown up babies and their mates and I had 8 crates and some 14 pigeons when I shifted my house  

Pigeons do adapt well and complaint less and more often the usual full fledged set ups are not at all necessary. If they are not happy, they will fly off, I didn't have a loft guys, only a few pairs of tomato crates.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Big T said:


> While I agree with you. Also easy for the male to defend with a four by ten inch door. Can lock up the nest for breeding, widowhood....... to name a few reasons to go with the box. BUT!!!! for the small time backyard little loft, for the young person wanting a few birds, very limited loft space can you see how this is good. In the wild the nest are on small ledges and cracks. Also, within a week of getting out of the nest my young are out of the box, (kids, they grow up so fast).
> 
> Many lofts, many nestboxes, mother nature will use what she can. floor!!!
> 
> Tony


Each to his own. But I was thinking more in the line of what would be better for the birds, then someone who really doesn't have the room to accommodate their needs, but wants to keep them anyway. Silly me!


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## slipperyd12 (Nov 7, 2007)

Jay3 said:


> Each to his own. But I was thinking more in the line of what would be better for the birds, then someone who really doesn't have the room to accommodate their needs, but wants to keep them anyway. Silly me!


My last word on this is: I have three nest boxes in one end of the loft, they have the dowel fronts with the single entrance door. All are the recommended size with nest bowls. Around the loft I have four of these boxes some high and some low. They have raised 6 pair of little ones this spring. Only one pair chose to use the nice nest boxes. So I kind of went with the idea that the birds knew what was best for them. I know one other flyer near me and he has had the same result with these boxes. Slap a few together and put them in the same room with your nice boxes and see for your self. Good luck to everyone flying this spring. If anyone has the same result I did with these let me know.


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Closed and open lofts have two different styles of nest boxes for their birdies and two opinions on how the particular person works in their lofts and how the birds do in their particular loft and thats the divergence of opinion here--what the person wants for their birds--more room---but open loft birds get exercise with flying free at times and its a very different set up and opinions vary but I tell you one thing I am giving these nest boxes serious consideration because slipperyd12 I really think you are on to something here and things can be adjusted to give them more space (perches,,shelves,,etc) and I am seriously going to have some built for my new small addition to my loft (5.7 or 6'8) I forget have not measured it yet again and I really want to know the dimensions that you measure with these nest boxes:: How wide: How deep: How Long: How high and the depth out from the wall---I would appreciate this....there are different systems in racing that these boxes would not work in as well especially in breeding birds and other types of racing systems but for my loft--I can't wait to try them out....c.hert


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## slipperyd12 (Nov 7, 2007)

The measurements are: Cut 5 boards- 9 1/2 inches long. 
The pickets, I bought most of the time they are 5 1/2 inches wide. 
First I nail the bottom to the two ends on the outside
Then I put the sides on, all nailed to the outside. 
This gives a inside measurement of 5 1/2 wide, around 8 3/4 long and 5 1/2 deep.
Measurement are approx. the pickets are not as thick as regular lumber
I just try and not make the shorter than 8 1/2 or longer than 9 1/2.
Then I cut a piece of scrap 1 1/2 wide and nail it on for the mounting bracket.
Figuring out how much straw to put in takes practice. I get enough in that the young can poop over the side and the nest stays clean. 
Good luck everyone hope someone is able to get use out of some of these boxes and it was a good conversation. 
Thanks
John


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## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Thank you very much John and I appreciate that you got back to let me know.c.hert


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## rackerman (Jul 29, 2009)

slipperyd12 said:


> I will post the size when I get home from work tonight. As far as them getting out of the nest, once and a while one will. Most of the time I leave them out, by that time they have feathers every where but under their wings and they start eating from the feeder or one of the parents feeds them on the floor for a few days then I seperate them with my other young birds. These boxes seem to work too well for me. I rarely lose any young and I have to put wood eggs in to slow the production down. The size inside is 9X5 1/2 The end boards are 9 1/2 tall
> Good luck!!
> John


John, Whats that size? 9 x 5 1/2??


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