# Nest box cleaning



## thejet23 (Oct 16, 2013)

Hello everyone. I am just getting started with pigeons and I would like to know if you can clean the nest bowls and boxes while the eggs are being sat on or do you wait until after they hatch?


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## Dragonboy (Mar 18, 2013)

For me I have come to wait until after the eggs hatch. I do not find the bowls getting that dirty while they are setting the eggs but by the time the babies are 5-7 days of age (banding time) I usually place the babies into a clean nest bowl (I use the disposables a lot) and change it out every 5-10 days (more often as they grow). I will move the squabs to the larger belgian style nest bowl with pad when they hit about 21- 28 days depending on the breed of the bird, because the hen is typically getting broody by then and wants to lay again and prefers to do it in the original bowl. 
EVery now and then I get one that lays in the food bowl because I was not quick enough getting another nest in the cage when she was ready for it. 
Hope this helps.


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## thejet23 (Oct 16, 2013)

Ok thank you!


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

In my loft,I don't clean the nest until eggs hatch. Because pigeons never poop in the nest. After squabs are 5 days old,cleaning is needed every other day. If we use small nest bowl(not that small/tiny) then squabs tend to poop outside the bowl. If we use large nesting bowls then squabs make mess inside the bowl.
I've tried n number of nesting bowls.
When I use (I make them at home-in my album) disposable ones I just line the bowl with another paper and a little nesting materials. Then I just change the lined paper every other day just like changing some cover or bedsheet,its easy. I've have only 6 breeding pairs so its only six pens that I got to clean every other day. I clean rest of the loft once/twice a week when I get time
When I use earthen pots then I simply take out the pot,flip it upside down and the nesting material and poopies fall down to the ground. Just a little scrapping to do and its done. These solid type of bowls work for me more, in summers


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

they often poo in the nest bowl while sitting on eggs, but not something requiring immediate cleaning.

as DragonBoy was saying I clean nest bowls (or change them) after a week of the hatching as the squabs become bigger and poop everywhere. when they become even bigger like 3 weeks I put them in another bigger bowl preparing the hen to lay again.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

If you want your babies and your older birds tame or tamer,clean your boxes everyday,or even twice a day...The birds get used to your hands and scraper...My babies,when put into their section,and I`m cleaning/scraping the floor etc,they just stay right there...I have to gently push them a little,to clean where they are...They are not affraid of me while I`m cleaning the loft...If I try to catch them,later on when they are older,I have a little easier time of it...So I like to clean the boxes....As a matter of fact,when the babies start to get their feathers,I start petting them,while they are in the bowl....They get used to my hands that way...I enjoy doing it,and it helps keeping the birds somewhat tame....I can go into my YB section,and put my hand right in front of my birds,and touch their toes....I have a couple that will not let me do that,but they are not banging against the walls,when I try to do so...They just fly to the floor,ot out into the aviary....Alamo


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Abdulbaki said:


> they often poo in the nest bowl while sitting on eggs, but not something requiring immediate cleaning.
> 
> as DragonBoy was saying I clean nest bowls (or change them) after a week of the hatching as the squabs become bigger and poop everywhere. when they become even bigger like 3 weeks I put them in another bigger bowl preparing the hen to lay again.


Thankfully,my birds never poop inside the nest. Hens don't poop overnight when sitting on eggs/infant squabs. They pass out a big poop outside the nest when they leave the nest next morning to feed for a brief moment.

And if I change nest bowls my birds hesitate to accept them


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Hi Abdul and everybody
This makes me feel proud again. You might wanna see tis...
Before cleaning the nest, which I cleaned day before yesterday, I thought of taking a click to show what I was rooting for. Here's it

My squabs always poop ouside of nest circumference keeping their sitting/nesting spot clean. No poops inside and they stay clean till they leave the nest. If I would have used a larger nesting bowl then I would have another story to tell 

I know its winters and its not the best time to breed pigeons but the falcon wiped out more than half of my flyers. So...
Okay, the eggs are about to hatch in a couple o days and see neither my hen nor the cock pooped in the nest or nest pen. Its innate in them not to poop in the nest + its little arrangements that you make to manage your birds. Have a look


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

Hi brocky I see what you're aiming for and I agree with it!
but from my experience I see often some fresh droppings in the nest before and after laying eggs I don't know if it is breed related as I keep homers and Pouters but they do and rarely even though they gather as much as they can of feces in the intestines whilst the incubation time and do it outside the nest, And In your second picture the nest is so cramped In my opinion and as the squabs grow up eventually there will no enough space for both of them, for this I said I add another bowl for them as the hen prepare for another round of eggs, they usually accept the second big bowl.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Abdulbaki said:


> Hi brocky I see what you're aiming for and I agree with it!
> but from my experience *I see often some fresh droppings in the nest before and after laying eggs I don't know if it is breed related as I keep homers and Pouters* but they do and rarely even though they gather as much as they can of feces in the intestines whilst the incubation time and do it outside the nest,* And In your second picture the nest is so cramped In my opinion and as the squabs grow up eventually there will no enough space for both of them*, for this I said I add another bowl for them as the hen prepare for another round of eggs, they usually accept the second big bowl.


Its not the breed difference. I had homers,fantails(only three pairs) and highflyers at the same time and they never pooped in the nest. I guess you need to potty train your pigeons   LL

Taiking about space, its enough,I think. The hen crawled out of the nest at the same time when camera clicked as she got scared of the flash. And it was the angel that messed the shot up showing the space conjusted.
Do you like this...^_^


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## thejet23 (Oct 16, 2013)

Thanks for the replies everyone! I really appreciate it!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

you can clean it when you want, but the times I avoid cleaning is when the eggs are due to hatch and newly hatched, I will clean when the hatchlings are about 5 to 6 days of age and on from there.


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## Abdulbaki (Jul 31, 2013)

brocky bieber said:


> Its not the breed difference. I had homers,fantails(only three pairs) and highflyers at the same time and they never pooped in the nest. I guess you need to potty train your pigeons   LL
> 
> Taiking about space, its enough,I think. The hen crawled out of the nest at the same time when camera clicked as she got scared of the flash. And it was the angel that messed the shot up showing the space conjusted.
> Do you like this...^_^
> http://postimg.org/image/z7qf6vplp/




such a beautiful hen & eggs  , what breed is she btw?


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

brocky bieber said:


> Its not the breed difference. I had homers,fantails(only three pairs) and highflyers at the same time and they never pooped in the nest. I guess you need to potty train your pigeons LL
> 
> Taiking about space, its enough,I think. The hen crawled out of the nest at the same time when camera clicked as she got scared of the flash. And it was the angel that messed the shot up showing the space conjusted.
> Do you like this...^_^
> http://postimg.org/image/z7qf6vplp/





Abdulbaki said:


> such a beautiful hen & eggs , what breed is she btw?


Thanks. In first shot its his hen,in tis shot he's the cock. All my pigeons are Goolee+cumulet+indian highflyers mixed breeds. All these breeds are known for high flying capabilities so these breeds were carefully mixed to derive best


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