How to make a pigeon nest
Among the considerable number of birds that can be found in any city and village, pigeons are among the most common. Unpretentious and at the same time very graceful, these birds are quite deservedly popular with domestic poultry farmers. It is also gratifying that keeping pigeons is not difficult at all: it is enough to provide them with regular feeding and equip a suitable place for living and breeding. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to acquire ready-made nests for pigeons: it is quite possible to make them with your own hands, which will be discussed below.
Pigeon nests
Primary requirements
In order for the pigeons and their chicks to feel as comfortable as possible, the poultry farmer must adhere to several simple and at the same time important rules. Accounting for the latter is desirable, since the convenience of the birds is a key condition for their correct breeding. This means that the dovecote alone will not be enough to solve this problem, because such a structure, being empty, is unlikely to please its inhabitants. Of course, a pigeon cannot be called an overly demanding bird, but it is important to consider that its correct content should include the following:
- Each individual needs to equip a separate nest, for example, made of wood, foam or gypsum. Perches alone are not enough here, since pigeons need not only places for regular sitting, but also separate "apartments" for the period of nestling.
- When determining the optimal size and shape of pigeon nests, one should take into account the characteristics of the bird breed for which they are intended.
- Provided that the dovecote is small in size, it is most rational to divide it into two zones. In the first it is reasonable to make perches, and in the second - nesting "houses", where both adult birds and their chicks will spend time.
- All pigeon "apartments" should be well ventilated and located so that a person can easily clean them.
- Given the fact that in the wild the birds in question build nests on their own, it is advisable to provide them with such an opportunity in the conditions of the dovecote. This means that their owner only needs to place the base of the nest, placing next to it all the necessary "finishing materials": hay, straw and small twigs.
As for the average size of shelves for self-made "houses", it is 80 x 40 x 30 cm, respectively, in length, width and height. In addition, in many cases it makes sense to make separate boxes, placing them with a wall in a pigeon room. It is also noteworthy that many poultry breeders prefer to use removable structures used during the mating season and for raising chicks, and after they are harvested until the next season. It is worth noting that such a step allows you to significantly expand the free space of the dovecote, and therefore is fully justified.
Making nests out of wood
Talking about how you can equip nests for pigeons with your own hands, first of all, you should pay attention to their most common variety, created from wood. There are many reasons for this, but first of all, these include the absolute environmental safety of this material, as well as its prevalence and cheapness. As for the size of such boxes, they, as mentioned above, are determined by the breed of pigeons, averaging 30 cm in length, 25 cm in width and 8 cm in height.
If we list the materials necessary for arranging such "apartments" for pigeons and their growing chicks, then their list will look like this:
- wooden boards having a thickness of about 20 mm;
- fine mesh made of metal;
- nails of a suitable length.
Of the tools, the use of which allows you to make nests for pigeons with your own hands, you only need a hacksaw and a hammer. At the same time, it is highly desirable to have fine-grained sandpaper available to give the surface of the nests as smooth as possible.
Now that all the preparatory measures are listed, it's time to consider the very process of making pigeon "apartments". It includes the step-by-step execution of actions such as:
- Thorough surface treatment of wooden boards, carried out with sandpaper.
- Marking that provides an accurate account of the desired size of the nest to be created for pigeons.
- Sawing boards with a hacksaw into the required number of components of the future structure.
- The assembly of the nest is rectangular using nails.
- Attaching the bottom to the created structure, the role of which is played by a metal mesh.
Regarding the last point, it is reasonable to note that the presented solution is entirely justified, as it provides excellent ventilation. In such comfortable "houses", pigeons nest with great pleasure, and therefore breed chicks very willingly.
Arrangement of round nests
Practice shows that many poultry breeders do not consider a rectangular pigeon nest as the best solution for their pets. They consider the best option to be round nests, which, by the way, can also be made by hand. To accomplish this task, foam plastic is most often used - a material that equally combines such advantages as:
- minimum thermal conductivity;
- convenience;
- cheapness.
To make such a nest at home, you will need a rather modest set of necessary materials and equipment, namely:
- a sheet of polystyrene, the dimensions of which are enough for the manufacture of pigeon "quarters";
- well sharpened office knife;
- a deep pan with a sloping bottom of the same diameter as the nest being created;
- construction bandage;
- glue with zero toxicity (PVA is rightfully considered one of the best solutions in such situations);
- parchment.
As for the process of creating such nests, it involves the following actions:
- Cutting out blanks from a foam sheet that will be used in the future nest (their shape should be rectangular).
- Heating the pan and pressing it into the workpiece, on which you first need to put parchment.
- Melting foam intended for use in the nest. The natural result of this action will be the appearance of the necessary deepening.
- Bonding the construction bandage to the surface of the workpiece. It is advisable to do this to provide additional strength so that the birds living in the nest do not peck it.
Many pigeon breeders, primarily those living in the city, build dwellings for their pets using other materials: gypsum, alabaster, etc.There are plenty of photos and videos of similar products; the main thing is that in such a nest it is comfortable and safe not only for adult pigeons, but also for each of their chicks.
Use of shelving
Finally, mention should be made of such a noteworthy solution as mobile shelving. This is a very useful piece of equipment used by a large number of modern poultry farmers. It provides for the presence of compartments where the nests are located, as well as special restraints on the notches. When the mating season begins for pigeons, the racks are placed indoors, leaving there until the chicks reach 30-45 days of age (depending on the breed).
If we single out the main functions that such structures perform, then these include:
- a place for mating;
- the space where females hatch eggs;
- comfortable roost;
- a place where parents can hide each of their chicks, reliably protecting it from negative external factors.
Provided that the dimensions of the feathered inhabitants of the dovecote are small, shelves with dimensions of 30 x 30 x 30 cm are quite enough.If the birds are large, then it is recommended to increase the length at least twice, and the width by about a third.
In addition, for many breeds, such a solution as the use of wide and thick slats attached to the slats, acting as barriers between the sections, is relevant. In such cases, it is impractical to create a capital pigeon nest: a disposable cardboard box with dimensions of 40 x 30 cm is enough, in which:
- cut out a hole located in the center;
- underlay paper;
- remove one of the high sides.
Further, this simple product is placed in the appropriate compartment, where there are already ventilation holes. The air that penetrates through them provides an optimal microclimate in the nest, which is of paramount importance for any adult pigeon and its chick.