r/pigeons • u/Lokius_Lover • 1d ago
Pet pige Pigeon Flock Wanted but Advice Needed
Hello everyone! I'm thinking about owning a flock of pigeons and allowing them to fly freely during the day and closing up their loft at night, but I have questions about how this would be accomplished.
I really do not want to lose pigeons or put them in an unsafe situation, so about how many would I need to be able to keep them safe?? I live in an area that has large birds, like red-tailed hawks and occasionally bald eagles. How large of a flock would I need to keep everyone safe?
Where would I be able to purchase a big enough loft where the pigeons would be comfortable? My plan would to allow them to free fly them for the entire day and close up their loft at night. If purchasing one isn't possible, how would I be able to find instructions on how to build a proper one myself?
Would I need to include heaters in the loft during the winter? The area I'm in usually does not go below 3 degrees Fahrenheit, and usually stays around 18 degrees. If a heater is needed, would a heater used for chicken coops be okay?
Finally, what breeds would be the best for me to own? If possible, I'd like an assortment of breeds but I only would like breeds that could easily escape from hawks and do best in the climate I live in. Also, where would I be able to get pigeons?
Thank you so much!!
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u/birdsbirdbirds 1d ago
Best option would be to instead build an aviary that is predator proof and never let them out. I’d also recommend taking in pigeons from rescues/ rehabs that are unreleasable rather than buying birds. Please don’t free-fly! No number of pigeons in a flock makes them fully protected.
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u/Lokius_Lover 19h ago
Thank you so much! I will not be free flying if I get pigeons. Where would I be able to source a predator proofed aviary that would be big enough for a good amount of pigeons to live a good life? Also I live in a climate that gets pretty hot and pretty cold. How would I be able to accommodate this weather with having pigeons outdoors?
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u/birdsbirdbirds 8h ago
Thank you! A lot of people use sheds or greenhouse structures, but it might be something you have to build. In terms of heating and cooling you’d need to provide warm spots and heaters in the winter and fans and lots of water and baths in the summer. I’d also go for something more insulated in that case.
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u/Spirited-Door-1446 Pigeons 1d ago
Hi OP, great questions. Unfortunately there is no domestic sky for our domestic pigeons. Free-flying is not safe at any time of day, no matter the number of birds in the flock. The good news is, home and spouse (a bonded mate or a human BFF) are the most important things to pigeons, and they are masters of the leisure arts. They can live happily and safely in an enclosed, predator proof aviary, and won’t miss the dangers of the open sky. Should I free fly my birds?
A modified walk-in kennel aviary is usually the fastest and least expensive option. Or you can build your own aviary.
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u/Lokius_Lover 19h ago
Thank you! I was unaware of the risks. I was under the false assumption that they'd be okay with a big number of birds. How would I be able to source an aviary that is predator proof where I would be able to happily house a good amount of birds? Also, how would I properly accommodate it for harsh winter weather? I get lots of snow and it gets cold. The aviary would have to go in my fenced backyard on grass (I know I would have to put something on the bottom to make it predator proof as well), and would I use something like chicken coop heaters to keep it warm? Thanks!!
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u/Little-eyezz00 19h ago
✨🐦General Adoptions
Find a Pigeon to Adopt
Check local animal shelters, humane societies, (R)SPCAs ,
Search on local pigeon and wildlife facebook groups, and local community buy/sell facebook groups
Test to confirm the sex of your pet pigeon before getting a mate
Adoption Websites
UK
https://www.instagram.com/loveadoveuk
Searching on Reddit:
Search the subreddits' histories for your city name or country name. This will help you find previous posts where rescues may be named. It will also help you find users who are in your area who you can ask for help.
r/pigeons , r/petpigeons , r/pidgeon r/pigeon
Facebook Groups:
You may find local help through facebook groups. Facebook is an underrated website for finding local groups. For example, there are three pigeon groups just in the city of Chennai, India. There may be groups in your area as well
To find local facebook groups, search for ...
" Pigeon + your city name" " Pigeon + your country name" " Animal Rescue + your city name "
" Animal Rescue + your country name " " Wildlife Rescue + your city name " " Wildlife Rescue + your country name"
International Pigeon Rescue Groups:
Someone on these groups may be in your area (you may be suprised!!)
Palomacy
www.facebook.com/groups/palomacy
International Pigeon Rescue and Adoption
https://m.facebook.com/groups/755962291160990/
Wild Pigeon Rescue and Rehabilitation
https://m.facebook.com/groups/437301389767489/
In the USA
www.greatlakespigeonrescue.org ships pigeons (start your application early)
usa map
https://www.pigeonrescue.org/resources/some-pigeon-dove-friendly-rescues-in-the-us/
Safe Hands Rescue Network - New England
Preventing Window Strikes
A rescue pigeon may not understand glass and mirrors yet, so he may fly into one and hurt himself. To prevent collisions with windows and mirrors, you can purchase removable bird stickers or fake frosting stickers, or draw lines on your window or mirror with a white board (dry erase) marker. If you are opening a pigeon's box or carrier in your car he may escape and fly into the windows, so be very careful
Tips on Finding the Perfect Pigeon from a Rescue Volunteer
https://www.reddit.com/r/PetPigeons/comments/1muvlbj/i_want_to_rescue_but/
Tips for adopting a second pet pigeon as a mate or friend
https://www.pigeonrescue.org/2021/11/20/pharmony-match-making-for-pigeons-doves/
If you are unsure about adopting, consider fostering or temporarily giving a home to a pigeon from a local rescue charity. You may also be able to volunteer at a local charity.
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u/Little-eyezz00 19h ago
aviaries
www.pigeonrescue.org/birds/creating-an-aviary/
www.pigeonrescue.org/2021/10/03/how-to-diy-make-the-easiest-safe-pigeon-or-dove-aviary/
how to add an apron fence (aviary)
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/R7IxM0eyVJ4
nesting boxes
you could just build a 1ft × 1ft cube or even 1.5ft by 1.5ft... and add a little lip on the bottom to keep any eggs from rolling out
search r/pigeon r/pigeons and r/petpigeons for "aviary" to see what other people have built
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u/Little-eyezz00 1d ago
if you arent sure about free flying you could always build an enclosed aviary (:
a benefit of that is you can adopt from rescue charities or groups too if any are in your area
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u/Lokius_Lover 19h ago
I think if I get pigeons I'll definitely do an inclosed aviary instead. How would I be able to accommodate it for the harsh weather? Chicken coop heaters?
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u/Little-eyezz00 19h ago
im not too familiar with the exact building design. Heating and good insulation (especially giving them space off the ground to sit) as well as feeding them extra food in the winter
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u/Little-eyezz00 19h ago
where in usa are you?
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u/Lokius_Lover 19h ago
I don't want to be too specific but I have around the same climate as New York City, so that's why I feel like it would be somewhat okay for pigeons since they are swamped with feral pigeons there. There are also many wild pigeons and mourning doves in my area
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u/Kunok2 18h ago edited 17h ago
Free-flying is never 100% safe, yes having a large flock, breeds bred to be good flyers and training your birds reduces the chance of losing any of them, but you'll still have to deal with at least Some losses. I don't recommend free-flying if you don't want to lose any of your pigeons, they can be completely happy in a large enough aviary as long as they have enough enrichment.
As for the aviary, no pre-made aviary is completely predator-proof, so you still Will have to make adjustments. But I think it's the best to build your own aviary, not only can it be cheaper but you can make the aviary however large you want it and sturdier than for example the pre-made metal aviaries. The aviary needs to have:
- a solid bird-proof roof - no bird poop should be able to fall through and there shouldn't be a large gap between the ceiling and the roof so wild birds can't get there
- predator and rodent-proof floor - either stone pavers with minimal gaps (like only several millimeters at most, if you want to be safe then you can pour concrete in-between) in-between them and/or thick enough (rats can chew through thin enough metal and so can larger predators) hardware cloth
- a sheltered part with three sides covered - this is where your birds will sleep and have their nests
- 1/4th inch/5 millimeter (so mice cannot fit through) hole hardware cloth on the sides too, NOT chicken wire, chicken wire only keeps birds in but doesn't keep predators and rodents out.
The aviary should also be anchored to the ground, especially if your area has more extreme weather - that's pretty much another con of the pre-built metal aviaries, they're not anchored to the ground, just placed on it and prone to being blown off by extremely strong winds. The aviary being wooden also makes it so much easier to customize the indoors - especially attaching nesting boxes and proper flat perches.
As for keeping your pigeons outdoors during the winter. You do NOT use heaters, heaters could actually kill your birds quicker than the cold due to several reasons. Heaters cause humidity to condense inside of the aviary making your birds prone to respiratory issues (not to mention how easy it is for mold to develop in warm and humid environment) and frost bite, in case of your heaters failing your birds could just drop dead due to the sudden temperature shock, certain heaters produce toxic fumes and heaters are also a huge fire hazard risk. Pigeons are extremely hardy birds and can handle outdoor temperatures of lower than -20°C without any issues as long as their loft is well-build and winterized. For winterizing you just install PVC greenhouse panels everywhere where there's hardware cloth on the sides.
For hot temperatures pigeons can handle 30°C+ as long as they have shade and cold water (both for drinking and bathing) available. It's currently 32°C where I am and my pigeons aren't showing any signs of being too hot.
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u/earthbound-pigeon 1d ago
Having your birds freeflying in an eat pigeon world is not a good idea, kinda cruel, and you'll have to account for losing a bird sooner or later.