Need some basic information please!!! :)

[SwedishDude99]

Hi everyone! So I've been wanting to get into raising pigeons purely for enjoyment. I've been looking online to gather as much information as I can about them as farm *** feeding, housing, etc. but there are certain things that I can't find. If you know of any websites that I could go to to find all kinds of basic information on raising doves that would be great, but if not hopefully you guys can help me out with some of these questions. So, here they are:

1. Do pigeons sleep on their nests or do they roost on a bar like chickens do?
2. How often do pigeons "go broody" and try to raise clutches of eggs?
3. Can the eggs be replaced with fake eggs so that I don't end up with their offspring (as I'm not able to raise and sell any)?
4. Can pigeons live peacefully in he same coop as chickens?
5. If so, what modifications would I have to make to my chicken coop to accommodate doves?

By the way, I'm planning on getting a single pair of indian fantail pigeons. My chicken coop is 8 ft by 10 ft and has only 3 hens in it so there would be plenty of room. I have only just started researching pigeons so I realize that I have a lot to learn before I get them. I will continue to post my questions on this thread as they pop up. Thankyou guys!

 

[Hokum Coco]

1. Do pigeons sleep on their nests YES if incubating eggs or young or do they roost on a bar like chickens do? YES
2. How often do pigeons "go broody" and try to raise clutches of eggs? Once a month.
3. Can the eggs be replaced with fake eggs so that I don't end up with their offspring (as I'm not able to raise and sell any)? Yes (boil their eggs use as dummies)
4. Can pigeons live peacefully in he same coop as chickens? Not advisable chickens will eat squabs when they share the floor.
5. If so, what modifications would I have to make to my chicken coop to accommodate doves? I have raised them with meat kings (8 weeks with no issue)
Thankyou guys!

Nest bowls 10 inch diameter picked up at dollar store good to have 2 for each breeding pair.

Pigeon trap landing ramp hinges up to form avairy to trap train young squabs. Window hinges down in winter. Floor hinges down for easy cleaning and also hinges up to serve as shutter over the window in severe winter storms. Wire bobs on small doorway insure one way traffic.

 

[SwedishDude99]

Thankyou, so pigeons nest in the bowls when they are incubating eggs and when they are not, they will sleep on roosting bars, correct? Can you by chance post a picture of the inside of your pigeon loft? Would it be possible for me to somehow seperate an area off inside my chicken coop for them to raise their young and sleep and make a seperate door for them to go into the run? Thankyou again for all of your help!

 

[SwedishDude99]

Okay, so I have another question. I have been looking at both the indian fantail pigeon and the Hungarian giant house pigeon. With the indian fantail, I have read that they don't fly. Does this mean they are physically incapable of flying? Also, I haven't been able to find any info on wether the Hungarian House pigeon flies or not ?

 

[AnnaGold]

Can anyone online please help me?

 

[SwedishDude99]

With pigeons? I can try to help, but I've never owned pigeons and have just begun researching them so any help I can give will not be from personal experience. :/

 

[Hokum Coco]

The Hungarian giant house pigeon. No experience
With the indian fantail, they don't fly. No they can fly quite well around the loft actually better than the American fantail (granted they are NOT homing pigeons) They can home with in a five mile radius at least the ones I have experience with. Indian fantails also have a more natural carriage and are my favourite ornamental pigeon.

Champion Indian fantail. He was kept caged seldom flow and kept in a lower pen out of direct sunlight to obtain this champion plumage (NOT MINE).

 

[Hokum Coco]

Pipper's nest bowl is an old brake drum I had kicking around under my shed (anything that will not tip easily I would recommend as a nest bowl).


I lost these two pouters a month or so ago they died within a couple of days of each other. The male gone through esophagus surgery about 6 months ago and was doing well. I came in to the loft to find him dead and his mate died the next day. I have no clue how old they were. I used them as foster parents for raising my White Homing Pigeons.


I used this for a nest bowl It tips easily I would not recommend this (bottom of a 5 gallon pail I cut off.) It worked in my set up where the side wall is slanted 45º.




Where my loft has a four foot knee wall and a barn style roof my nest boxes are in most cases are 2' long , 1'wide 1' high cut on a 45º angle


This is the style of pigeon roost I employ.
However mine is hand made from a 2x4 with each edge cut at 45º and a piece of vinyl siding tack onto the edge to form the roof (I cut off the nailing channel on the siding). I came by my material at a construction site in the garbage pile..

 

[SwedishDude99]

I'm so sorry for your loss . And thankyou for continuing to help, this website, even though BYC is mainly for chickens, has been my best source for pigeon info so far. So you make the nest box and then put the nest bowl inside of it, correct?

 

[Hokum Coco]

I'm so sorry for your loss

. And thankyou for continuing to help, this website, If you own pigeons loss is all in the game thank you for you kind thoughts. Even though BYC is mainly for chickens, has been my best source for pigeon info so far. So you make the nest box and then put the nest bowl inside of it, correct? Exactly!
You will always have the odd pair of pigeons who will nest on the floor or build their own nest next to the nest bowl (at least that is my experience). My advise do not tamper with what they decide You are setting your self up for heartache if you do. To encourage them to use the nest bowl put in some sort of nesting material. Hay, grass, pine needles, shavings; what ever is available and at your disposal.
I personally have White Homing Pigeons that I release at weddings and special occasions. Outside of the Indian fantail I would not waste feed on any pigeon that could not home or were not good foster parents for homing pigeons.