# Help...got pigeons...need instructions!



## busychick (Oct 16, 2008)

Hi, I'm new here and I have some chickens, but am totally ignorant of pigeons....my mom was given 8 pigeons in a cage by a man that didn't want them.  They are fantails and they seem pretty healthy. 
We bought them some expensive pigeon food (the one with peas, popcorn, etc). They eat the smaller stuff, but waste a lot of the popcorn and other big round things.
We did get them some chicken grit. 

*Biggest issue is housing.* She obtained a larger cage (looks like a rabbit hutch) with solid roof, 3 solid walls, wire bottom and wire front. The space inside the cage is probably 5 ft x 3 ft and 3ft tall. It hasn't been very cold yet, but sometime this week it is supposed to get down to 35 degrees. What do I need to do to keep them warm? 

Do they need a nest box or just perches? 

Please help....I know nothing!

Thanks for your help in advance!
~Rebecca


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## j_birds (Sep 8, 2008)

they should be okay unless it gets a lot colder. Might want to hang something over the front to keep the drafts out. I wouldn't worry about nest boxes until later. Give them some adjustment time. Jim


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## busychick (Oct 16, 2008)

*wire bottom?*

What about the bottom? It is wire too, should I enclose it?
~Rebecca


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

The wire will allow the droppings to fall through which will keep them clean and healthy. I agree the setup sounds good. The 35 degrees is not going to be a problem. Wind and drafts would be. So just make sure if it gets bad you cover the whole thing up. The wire floor will allow for ventilation.

I would not recommend any nest boxes unless you plan to breed. A couple wooden perches might be enjoyable.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

busychick said:


> We did get them some chicken grit.
> 
> *Biggest issue is housing.* She obtained a larger cage (looks like a rabbit hutch) with solid roof, 3 solid walls, wire bottom and wire front. The space inside the cage is probably 5 ft x 3 ft and 3ft tall. It hasn't been very cold yet, but sometime this week it is supposed to get down to 35 degrees. What do I need to do to keep them warm?
> 
> ...


Rebecca.......welcome to PT. Any way you can post pictures? For the short term, where you're keeping the birds will be "ok"....however, it's not the type of housing you want to keep them in forever. With 8 birds, I expect it's a bit crowded and I also expect that you've got a mixture of hens and cocks, which means babies. And when they start nesting, and they WILL start nesting, there will be fighting amongst them.
IMO, if you're going to keep pigeons, you need to plan on building a proper coop/loft to keep them in.


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

So far if you have them sheltered and fed, you are on the right track. 
I kept six doves inside in a cage about what you have for the first six months I had doves, and they don't seem to be any worse for it.
If you send me your email address I can email you a free copy of the pigeon talk based book that covers the basics really well. I also have a great building plan for a small loft, that is offered for free from the internet.

I did the year of research and information gathering so you don't have to.


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