Providing heat for pigeons in winter?

[Faith SL]

I agree with the others, your pigeons (assuming they are all well-feathered and in good health) should be fine without additional heating based on your description of where they are being housed. Just feed them well and include corn in their feed (whole corn, or if your birds are a bit more picky or a smaller breed, popcorn), and make sure they have clean water which is not frozen over.

I knew of someone in Alaska who had Oriental Rollers and simply kept them in a regular large, draft free loft outdoors and they were healthy and stayed warm with just their own body heat. No additional bedding besides in nests, part wood floor and part wire, good ventilation but not drafty, and no additional heat (besides little heaters under the water founts to keep them from freezing as much). I don't know exactly how cold it got in the winter there, but I would imagine it could get as cold or even colder than where you are.

Good luck with your birds

 

[Hokum Coco]

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.

I just had a pair of pigeons lay an egg yesterday. You probably think I am cruel hearted by not suppling heat. The reason I would not supply heat out to the barn is. The heat would cause my adult birds to become dependent on it. Then if and when the power should go out for what ever reason the adult birds natural defenses against cold would be weakened and I may loose the whole flock. I would rather sacrifice a young squab then to put my whole flock in jeapordy. I did however put a tray of styrofoam from a discarded meat package under the pigeons nesting material to give the hopefull squabs a fighting chance I will keep you posted SmittenChickens to let you know how they make out. I personally think they will be just fine if the squabs have good parents. Just to remind you I live in Canada and I assure you if you spent on year in my province you would have a new respect for winter. US do not know what winter is really all about.The eggs should hatch December 28th in a perfect world.

 

[ket806]

Hello about a week ago I found a pigeon on my front porch with a broken wing and bloody leg! I call shim piggy seems to doing well out with the chickens.

I was wondering how you can tell the sex and if there is anything special I need to do also do I need to get shim(him/her) a mate?

 

[Shaolin]

Use a heating pad they work great. I use heating pads for baby chicks and to incubate yogurt. Heating pads are also used for indoor caged birds too. They are inexpensive and have different heat settings and give off radiant heat. Like you I like to offer a little heat for my birds.

 

[Hokum Coco]

My pigeon egg hatched on Dec 26 or 27 in Canada. The other one has pipped and should hatch Dec 27 or 28. Things look good so far. I got my camera to work in cold Canada had to change the batteries.








Canada Squabs Jack & Frostie 6 and 7 days old respectively. Eyes are open now. Hatched December 27 & 28 2012. Temperatures today -20 wind chill -34 Celsius and continuing for 6 more days No Heat, No light No moisture NO PROBLEMS!With winter upon us these young birds will only have training toss on single digit frigid days. In about 3 to 5 more weeks.

From this stage on I provided an styrofoam cooler nest cover





Jack & Frostie at 21 & 22 Days Old. They are out of the Styrofoam Cooler nest box now. I should have cleaned this breeding pen BEFORE I took this photo.



They seem to be as healthy as a trout even with below zero temperatures and an Artic air mass lingering on.
Plus I had another pair of Pigeon lay their second egg today!.

 

[chickenman700]

I live in the south and we dont have problems like that.

 

[fowlsessed]

I live in the south and we dont have problems like that.

That's about the best advice anyone who raises animals could get, move south!!!

 

[laughingdog]

That's about the best advice anyone who raises animals could get, move south!!!

lol. yeah.. id say to some degree at least, but mine hate the heat spikes when nesting, but otherwise usually love it as hot as itll get here, unless black pigeons get to tired running around out in full sun.

 

[coopscritters]

Thanks for the info.
I was concerned as this is a first winter for both my pigeons and muscoveys. We've been in a -20 deep freeeze for a month now and although everyone is doing fine I hate to stress them out too much.

 

[laughingdog]

Thanks for the info.
I was concerned as this is a first winter for both my pigeons and muscoveys. We've been in a -20 deep freeeze for a month now and although everyone is doing fine I hate to stress them out too much.

ive heard they will both due great, just provide more corn ect, but your muscovies may have frozen eggs, in that weather ive heard, or over heat from not wanting to get up and have problems from trying to nest and hold firm in that weather. i dont have much experiance at all personally with muscovies, as have never had any breeding adults, just going on what neighbors told me to be prepared for before.