Providing heat for pigeons in winter?

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SmittenChickens

SmittenChickens

In the Brooder
7 Years
Sep 7, 2012
41
2
24
My pijs live out in the insulated garage and so far seem to be doing just fine. But it can get brutally cold here... -50F windchills in Jan and Feb. There's no drafts in the garage and I offer them sunflower seed and peanuts as a high-fat supplement to help stay warm. They also have a nest box full of hay (that they never seem to use, LOL).

I'm wondering if I could offer some sort of heat source for them for the coldest parts of winter? Heat lamps are nice but they just seem so dangerous, especially in a garage full of lumber and hay. They make those electric heating pads for doghouses, or those microwaveable things that don't use electricity? Would a pigeon use any of these things?

Any and all input on how to keep my pijs warm and happy this winter would be great! If it matters, they are on the kind of young side.. they're about 5 months old now. Full feathered though. :)
 
[/B
No problem I too had Budapest & the 1st thing they ate was the whole corn. Make sure you have fresh grit in pen. I use chicken grower grit. As for cracked corn I've never liked to feed because the edges are open to moisture ((mold) & disease (salmonella etc) . In my case I feed turkey pellets free choice all year round & add a dish of whole corn when temp down to freezing free choice . Some disagree with this method but been doin it for 15 yrs now & no problems to my knowledge. In summer my performing rollers are fed a regulated (amount) special mix feed . & grit only with a sprinkle of pellets once a week. Hope this helps .

Ross
 
i have a pair of both chinease owls, and english shortfaced tumblers.. should these be able to eat pigeon pellets size of BBs to chicken pellets, or whole corn and sunflower seeds??? i assumed not by size of beaks, and they are awfully picky in what they will eat of tiny wild bird seed only that know they are eating so far, but wonder if they could be made to eat at least the small BB pellet pigeon food (it aint cheap, so hoping i can get them to do more than toss it everywere)?
 
IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHOLE CORN TRY POP CORN SMALLER SIZE .I HAD FIGS. THEY ARE VERY SMALL BIRDS I FED THEM LAYING PELLETS FOR CHICKENS THEY DID FINE. IF YOUR BIRDS ARE WASTEING FEED YOU ARE FEEDING TO MUCH. FEED THEM ONCE ADAY WHAT THEY WILL CLEAN UP IN TWENTY MINUTES OR SO . I FEEL THAT WILD BIRD SEED IS NOT A COMPELETE DEIT FPR PIGEONS THEY NEED PIGEON FEED OR SOMETHING WITH LARGER GRAIN IN IT
 
As long as your birds are well feathered I think you loft is over kill as it is. I live in Canada (Canada is the Indian name for Cold!!)
My pigeons are more than content with an uninsulated baby barn. They have no heat of any kind. I change their water twice a day because of the cold.

I feed heavy with corn to combat the cold during the winter months. If you want birds that have no resistance and will be susceptible to disease treat them like premature babies in a incubator and you will get exactly that.

I have Muscovy ducks that are native
to a tropical climate living in the same conditions and all the birds are as healthy as a trout.
 
Last edited:
Ron MacKinnon said:
As long as your birds are well feathered I think you loft is over kill as it is. I live in Canada (Canada is the Indian name for Cold!!)
My pigeons are more than content with an uninsulated baby barn. They have no heat of any kind. I change their water twice a day because of the cold.

I feed heavy with corn to combat the cold during the winter months. If you want birds that have no resistance and will be susceptible to disease treat them like premature babies in a incubator and you will get exactly that.

I have Muscovy ducks that are native
to a tropical climate living in the same conditions and all the birds are as healthy as a trout.
Click to expand...
goodpost.gif

Lived in the UP for a few years, know what you are saying! Our horses were the same way.
Scott
 

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