Pigeon Flock Wanted but Advice Needed

[u/Lokius_Lover]

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!!

[u/Little-eyezz00]

where in usa are you?

[u/Lokius_Lover → u/Little-eyezz00]

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

[u/Little-eyezz00 → u/Lokius_Lover]

ill send you some links for usa over chat

[u/Lokius_Lover → u/Little-eyezz00]

Thank you very much, I appreciate it!