Pigeon in Large Poultry Run

[Duckstruck]

Hello!
My grandfather is offering me some weaned homing pigeons, and I'd love to take a few, but I'd like to know what I need to set up and how extreme a pigeon will try to escape.
I have a large run with chickens, ducks, and rabbits, with plenty of headroom for anything to fly. My concerns are about the chicken wire roof (I might could measure their width this afternoon.) I've seen birds (like jays) squeeze in and out picking up scratch on the ground. Is there any precise measurement to how big the wiring holes should be?
Theres also a small gap on the very top of a sheltered section of the run that a couple of small birds have flown in and out of before. It's hardly noticeable, but still there.
It's important to me that they don't fly freely because I might need to return them back to my grandfather if need be. Would they establish a knowledge of their coop even without being flown?
I also have a large coop that could house some pigeons, but its basically a small barn. It has room to fly, nest, and perch. Could they live indoors and not have access outside, is that cruel?
Thanks for reading!

 

[biophiliac]

Hello!
My grandfather is offering me some weaned homing pigeons, and I'd love to take a few, but I'd like to know what I need to set up and how extreme a pigeon will try to escape.
I have a large run with chickens, ducks, and rabbits, with plenty of headroom for anything to fly. My concerns are about the chicken wire roof (I might could measure their width this afternoon.) I've seen birds (like jays) squeeze in and out picking up scratch on the ground. Is there any precise measurement to how big the wiring holes should be?
Theres also a small gap on the very top of a sheltered section of the run that a couple of small birds have flown in and out of before. It's hardly noticeable, but still there.
It's important to me that they don't fly freely because I might need to return them back to my grandfather if need be. Would they establish a knowledge of their coop even without being flown?
I also have a large coop that could house some pigeons, but its basically a small barn. It has room to fly, nest, and perch. Could they live indoors and not have access outside, is that cruel?
Thanks for reading!

I think the small barn would work well. They need exposure to the sun so you would just need to hang a small aviary on one of the sides(south?) with an opening for them to access. Mine love to sit outside for awhile every day ,rain or sun. This would be better, imo, than mixing them with chickens in your run.

Quote Would they establish a knowledge of their coop even without being flown? Unquote
It is likely that some will if they have a view of their surroundings from the aviary - hard to say for sure.

 

[MageofMist]

I think the small barn would work well. They need exposure to the sun so you would just need to hang a small aviary on one of the sides(south?) with an opening for them to access. Mine love to sit outside for awhile every day ,rain or sun. This would be better, imo, than mixing them with chickens in your run.

Quote Would they establish a knowledge of their coop even without being flown? Unquote
It is likely that some will if they have a view of their surroundings from the aviary - hard to say for sure.

Pidove who I am looking after until her owners contact me (still no word... So she may actually end up being mine) is currently in my house, she has access to the sunlight via the windows and likes to perch atop the living room door in the evenings. She makes no attempts to try and leave through the window... So I think she feels pretty content being indoors and might actually prefer it.

 

[featherhead007]

Maybe someday those pigeons will grow up to be chickens?

 

[featherhead007]

I had those kind of bird before, A long time ago,on a perch far far away........

 

[LamarshFish]

Personally, I wouldn't ever use chicken wire to enclose any domestic birds, as small wild birds can (and usually do) get in, and can expose your domestics to all kinds of diseases. Mostly sparrows and other tiny birds are the culprits. As such, I would recommend 1/2" hardware cloth.

As far as keeping pigeons with chickens, I think it is generally not advised, but if they are given plenty of room to fly away from threats on the ground, such as chickens, it may be ok. That won't rule out a chicken's ability to attack an otherwise unassuming pigeon that cannot or does not fly to escape. Young pigeons I think are particularly susceptible at first, until they learn they need to fly away and avoid these larger birds. To pigeons, chickens are a general danger, and for the pigeons to be safe they not only need room to fly to safety, but also they need to understand the danger.

 

[LamarshFish]

I'll add, another reason to avoid using chicken wire is that, I learned on this forum, determined predators apparently can chew right through it. It's become my understanding that chicken wire is designed to keep chickens in and out of places, not protect them from predators or tiny wild avian intruders. And while on the topic of intruders, I'd also think mice and rats can get through chicken wire. 1/2" hardware cloth, I think not.

 

[Duckstruck]

From what you guys say, it sounds like it would be best to have them housed in the small barn. I'm planning on having very few pigeons, probably only 2 or so. They have plenty of room to fly in the barn, so what would suffice as a small outdoor space? Could having a pigeon entrance to a small outdoor wire box be fine, just a spot to sit and look out?

 

[Duckstruck]

Now that I'm back from barn duties, I have measurements of the small barn.
L=11.7 Feet
W=8.1 Feet
H=7.9 Feet
Is this large enough to keep a pair in full time?

 

[biophiliac]

Now that I'm back from barn duties, I have measurements of the small barn.
L=11.7 Feet
W=8.1 Feet
H=7.9 Feet
Is this large enough to keep a pair in full time?

It's perfect for a flock of up to 40 imo, many would say more.

From what you guys say, it sounds like it would be best to have them housed in the small barn. I'm planning on having very few pigeons, probably only 2 or so. They have plenty of room to fly in the barn, so what would suffice as a small outdoor space? Could having a pigeon entrance to a small outdoor wire box be fine, just a spot to sit and look out?

That would be fine.