# any ideas for home made nest boxes



## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

hi i need to get a lot of nest boxes but do not have much money in need at least 10 boxes willing to make some but i don t know how too they do not need to be anything great just something that they will like to breed in

james


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

james fillbrook said:


> hi i need to get a lot of nest boxes but do not have much money in need at least 10 boxes willing to make some but i don t know how too they do not need to be anything great just something that they will like to breed in
> 
> james


you can try a dresser or wardrobe from a second hand store and put cubbies in it....just an idea.... or plastic stackable cubes. not sure what kind of stores you have there, but you can look around at one of those home and garden stores. use your imagination. or just build something like a book shelf, it should'nt be complicated.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

I used scrap wood that I had left over when building my loft
all you really have to do is build a box 24 inches wide 16 inches high and 24 inches deep
maybe you could even use cardboard boxes with a small peice of plywood on the bottom for support 
the poop tends to make the bottom wet and it might come apart 
empty apple crates work well also


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

has anyone got some plans for wooden ones


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## tuxedobaby (Sep 9, 2008)

go to your local fruit and veg shop,,they often give away woden boxes!


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

When i was young and poor that always worked for me. Wait i still am poor! LOL! Dave


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

LUCKYT said:


> When i was young and poor that always worked for me. Wait i still am poor! LOL! Dave


i reacken if i go in rags and ask very nicly they may let me have some old boxes for veg


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

james fillbrook said:


> has anyone got some plans for wooden ones


Renee (Lovebirds) has some plans for the nest fronts
thats the hardest part to make imo


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

http://lovebirdsloft.homestead.com/LOFTACCESSORIESPLANPAGE.html


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## UncleBuck (Dec 23, 2008)

James, You said you only had one loft right now to keep your birds in. Please do not breed any more until you get another loft to keep the birds in. The single cocks will try to kill the squabs. At the very least, spend your money on enlarging your loft.


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11794&stc=1&d=1235425818

These boxes are in Wilkinsons at the moment. They are I think £2 each. A couple of minutes with a saw and cardboard between to stop the poop falling through.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

THAT my new found friend, is the best idea i have seen in years! GOOD venting, easy to clean. IDEAL! Dave P.S. Do they ship? lol!


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

I personally would go with some sort of crate, something cheap, washable, can be thrown away possibly. 
The only reason I have the boxes I have is because my husband can build them. 
If it was just me............who KNOWS what I'd be using. LOL


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Those are brilliant. I have been looking myself for something and those could be it !


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

those are sharp looking...me likie.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Spirit wings sometimes you really get a laugh out of me. LOL! Dave


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## Birdman79 (Aug 9, 2007)

I use milk crates.They're free,I cut one side to a U shape and i screw it to the loft.You can put plastic nest bowsl,or if you're able to get 5 gallon plastic pickle jars,you can cut the botton and fit it inside the crate.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Yes, the milk crate i use when one decides to nest on the floor, they do not seem to mind the change. I would try to connect two if possible, never tried it but it could work. (more space) DAVE


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2009)

pigeonpoo said:


> http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11794&stc=1&d=1235425818
> 
> 
> 
> ...


those are cool wish we had them here in the states


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

UncleBuck said:


> James, You said you only had one loft right now to keep your birds in. Please do not breed any more until you get another loft to keep the birds in. The single cocks will try to kill the squabs. At the very least, spend your money on enlarging your loft.


no got two lofts now one for the breeders and one for the ybs and i am getting a new one form a mate soon for the cocks so when i split them up i have some where to put them


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

LokotaLoft said:


> those are cool wish we had them here in the states


Managed to get some of these today, A really good idea.

LokotaLoft, they are just cheap plastic folding boxes, I'm sure you'd be able to get an equivalent over there.

I'm looking forward to seeing how they take to them. Thanks for the tip pigeonpoo.


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

pigeonpoo said:


> http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11794&stc=1&d=1235425818
> 
> These boxes are in Wilkinsons at the moment. They are I think £2 each. A couple of minutes with a saw and cardboard between to stop the poop falling through.


thats a very good idea i think i am going to try it


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

telstar12 said:


> I use milk crates.They're free,I cut one side to a U shape and i screw it to the loft.You can put plastic nest bowsl,or if you're able to get 5 gallon plastic pickle jars,you can cut the botton and fit it inside the crate.


yea good idea where can you get free milk crates


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

you should be able to go to a grocery store and ask the manager if you can have a few milk crates for your birds


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

james fillbrook said:


> no got two lofts now one for the breeders and one for the ybs and i am getting a new one form a mate soon for the cocks so when i split them up i have some where to put them


why not leave the cocks in the breeder section so they can stay in thier nest boxes and put the hens in the new loft you will be getting


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

StoN3d said:


> why not leave the cocks in the breeder section so they can stay in thier nest boxes and put the hens in the new loft you will be getting


thats what i ment


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## Guest (Feb 24, 2009)

pigeonpoo said:


> http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11794&stc=1&d=1235425818
> 
> These boxes are in Wilkinsons at the moment. They are I think £2 each. A couple of minutes with a saw and cardboard between to stop the poop falling through.


That does look nice. I think these are the boxes.http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/invt/0082073
Was the opening in front cut out?


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Yes they are the ones. From what I can tell from the picture, the front is cut out to create the opening. They could be placed on their side, but then the front will be completely open.

Janet


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

nice looking and very cheap cost a round £20 for 10 that is not bad if you think your getting 10 nest boxes cost £4.50 deliverie but that what you get when your lazy lol


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

james fillbrook said:


> nice looking and very cheap cost a round £20 for 10 that is not bad if you think your getting 10 nest boxes cost £4.50 deliverie but that what you get when your lazy lol


Shame on you James !!!!!!!!

I carried mine up a long hard hill by myself to where I'd parked the car. Mind you I only bought six to start with, and that was hard enough.

Good luck with them. I have yet to organise my set up. Let us know how they work out.

Janet


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

You can find milk crates also at garage sales, flea markets, recycling centers, many hardware stores (though they're usually $5-$10 new), or some shopping centers will give you some. I use around a dozen of them and have found them at the above places.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Those look really nice, but I'd put wood between rather than the cardboard. Great idea!
If you build them in wood something really simple, like a book shelf, only at least 16 inches deep. I needed extra boxes, and threw this together. It really is easy, and as long as they have enough room in them, the birds don't mind.







I later added a perch on the front, and a wall on one side of the box to close it off a little.


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

amyable said:


> Shame on you James !!!!!!!!
> 
> I carried mine up a long hard hill by myself to where I'd parked the car. Mind you I only bought six to start with, and that was hard enough.
> 
> ...


well i don t have a car so i would have to take them a bout 1 mile then on the bus so shame on you lol


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

james fillbrook said:


> well i don t have a car so i would have to take them a bout 1 mile then on the bus so shame on you lol


HAHA (was only joking) !!


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

amyable said:


> HAHA (was only joking) !!


ha ha i was only joking as well


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

amyable said:


> Yes they are the ones. From what I can tell from the picture, the front is cut out to create the opening. They could be placed on their side, but then the front will be completely open.
> 
> Janet


Yes, part of the front is cut out. I can't take the credit for the idea - I found it on another site

www.pigeonbasics.com

Sue


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## amyable (Jul 7, 2007)

Hi,

I put a couple of these boxes in the shed today just for storage until I can organise the whole place better for them. By the time I'd come back from shopping one pair had taken up residence. The only trouble is I hadn't had time to put anything inside them.

What sort of materials would be ok for them, I can't quite tell in the pictures. I looks like some sort of straw in the bottom.

Can anyone tell me what is good to use as so far they have been using twigs and dry leaves I've brought in from the garden to make nests on the floor.

I just need to put something on the base of the boxes first to cosey them up a bit as they are slippery.

Thanks,

Janet


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

I use tobacco stems and dried LONG pine needles
Just about anything can be used though
some people shred newspaper and use that
some people use straw
I have even seen nests made out of feathers


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## wolfwood (Jan 26, 2009)

I use a combination of pine woodchips (absorbs liquid), cedar shavings (just a little - keeps bugs away), and timothy grass on the loft floor and in the boxes. All of this is very low in dust and does a good job of absorbing moisture. They also get a supply of tobacco stem to add to their nest as they choose. This also gives the babies better footing than just the wood chips. I have a fair supply of extra paper nesting bowls now 'cuz the pijs seem to like the soft nest .... they have all chosen NOT to use the offered bowls so I've now removed them.


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## tuxedobaby (Sep 9, 2008)

pigeonpoo said:


> http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11794&stc=1&d=1235425818
> 
> These boxes are in Wilkinsons at the moment. They are I think £2 each. A couple of minutes with a saw and cardboard between to stop the poop falling through.



these boxes can be bought for £1(in £ stores uk),also can be bought in poundstretcher,very useful


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

wolfwood said:


> I use a combination of pine woodchips (absorbs liquid), cedar shavings (just a little - keeps bugs away), and timothy grass on the loft floor and in the boxes. All of this is very low in dust and does a good job of absorbing moisture. They also get a supply of tobacco stem to add to their nest as they choose. This also gives the babies better footing than just the wood chips. I have a fair supply of extra paper nesting bowls now 'cuz the pijs seem to like the soft nest .... they have all chosen NOT to use the offered bowls so I've now removed them.


I removed my bowls too. I added wood chips to the nestboxs for the cold months, and I put out straw and tabacco stems for the birds to use for nesting materials. I like the idea of the long pine needles, but would have to buy them, as we only have the regular shorter ones around here, and they aren't interested in them. Short thin branches are fine too. They say hay gets damp too easily, which isn't good for the birds, and I've read that sometimes it isn't dried enough or properly, and can carry mold. Not good. 
Anyway, my birds also, most of them, have chosen to build the nests outside of the bowls. Softer and cozier, I think.Although I have also read that the bowls, because of the sides, help to prevent splayed leg. Don't know.


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## Mader631 (Sep 7, 2008)

I use plastic Milk Crates...........


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## engrsmb (Jul 1, 2013)

I can supply Tobacco stem on requirement basis.
if any one need Tobacco Stem can contact me at skype: smbcuet
or my e-mail: [email protected]


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