For pigeons in Wisconsin, with wide temperature variations cold to hot, would it be best to place most of the nest boxes and perches along the North side(shaded) or the South side(sunny) of the loft?
I'm not entirely sure, but I can tell you from observing the way my birds use the nest boxes in my loft (8 boxes, set up 4 and 4 in columns next to each other), that my birds seem to prefer the boxes that are higher up, and also farther away from the aviary entry way. Keep in mind that my birds have not started the breeding process yet; however, I expect they will continue this pattern when that begins... As for the perches, I have 6 v-perches (3 and 3 in two columns next to each other) on the wall opposite to the aviary, and 3 more v-perches directly next to the aviary opening, and mine seem to gravitate towards the upper perches on the wall opposite to the aviary opening. I rarely find them using the perches that are immediately adjacent to the aviary opening, but the only time I have seen them on those it's always been on the highest one.