Pigeon breeding is a very interesting hobby, and its history goes back more than one century. These birds are famous for their unpretentiousness in food, as well as in the conditions of detention. But when it comes to breeding, especially unusual and rare breeds, every poultry farmer must take care of creating the perfect houses. In this article, you can learn how to make do-it-yourself nests for pigeons, with photos of possible options and step-by-step instructions. But first, you should consider the general requirements for these structures.
Requirements for pigeon nests
One of the most important conditions for the correct, competent breeding of birds is the arrangement of their homes. You will need to work hard to create the most comfortable conditions for the breeding and living of birds. However, there are certain requirements for pigeon housing, thanks to which you can simplify the process of theircultivation:
- Every pigeon has its own perch. Each bird should have its own spacious corner where it will rest, as well as incubate eggs during the mating season. If the size of the room allows you, it is recommended to divide the dovecote into two zones: a cozy niche with nests for pigeons, as well as an area with perches. At the same time, pay attention to the fact that when the chicks get stronger, the nests must be removed, freeing up even more space.
- Comfortable microclimate. This should include the absence of drafts and ventilation. It must be remembered that drafts and dampness can provoke the development of various diseases in pigeons. This is especially true for young feathered individuals. Attention should be paid to the additional heating of the dovecote with the onset of frost. To do this, additional heaters are installed, and the walls are treated with special heat-insulating materials.
- Disinfection and regular cleaning. It is necessary to regularly disinfect and clean the houses and nests for pigeons from droppings and other contaminants. Thanks to this, you can avoid the reproduction of various pathogenic microflora. So be sure to keep your pigeon nests clean.
- Timely replacement of bedding. You should also use good quality bedding. As a rule, hay, straw or sawdust are used for this.
Before you start building nests for doves with your own hands, photos of which you can also see in our article, it is important to understand that many breedsThese birds have a well-developed so-called nesting instinct, which is why individuals may not accept the prepared place. Some hay, paper, twigs or cotton should be placed in the house, thanks to which you will enable the birds to take part in building the nest on their own.
Varieties of Nests
Before you make nests for pigeons, you need to pay attention to the fact that they are divided into two varieties. They can be rectangular or round. Consider separately both varieties.
Rectangular sockets
These DIY pigeon nests are made from wooden materials. This variety is the most common. At the same time, many poultry farmers prefer to use this form due to the simplicity of the design, as well as the availability of materials. Before making a dove nest in a rectangular dovecote, you will need to purchase only nails and boards, if they are not available.
Another undoubted advantage of the rectangular shape is the possibility of repeated use of such sockets. However, this design has a drawback, which is susceptibility to moisture, which cannot be said about plastic nests for pigeons. If the microclimate in the dovecote is disturbed, the boards will quickly become unusable.
Round sockets
Most often, round-shaped nests are made of foam. However, plastic, plaster or other materials can be used for this. The main advantage of such foam structures is that they are able to accumulate heat, which is very important when females hatch eggs.
Those people who breed pigeons also note that birds are more willing to start building round-shaped nests. The main disadvantage of this design is the possibility of deformation of gypsum structures due to excess moisture. In addition, it is quite common for birds to peck at foam walls.
And now let's take a closer look at how to make a nest for doves with your own hands. Photos of finished structures can also be found in this article.
Nest building
As mentioned earlier, rectangular wooden houses are the most common housing option for pigeons. Speaking about how to make nests for pigeons and chickens, it can be noted that anyone can do it, even a beginner in this business.
Rectangular wood
Please note that rectangular nests made of wood can be used not only for breeding pigeons, but also for small breed chickens. Consider the detailed device and dimensions of the nest for pigeons made of wood:
- Width - 30 cm.
- Length - 30 cm.
- Wall height - 10 cm.
If you are the owner of a breeding stock, then you need to slightly increase the dimensions of such houses.
Tools and materials
To make, you will need the following tools and materials:
- Screws ornails.
- Wooden boards, about 2 cm thick.
- Metal mesh. Best used with small mesh diameters.
- Screwdriver or hammer.
- Saw.
- Sandpaper or abrasive mesh.
Step by step guide
When all the tools and materials are collected, you can start the main work. Nest building must be done step by step:
- If sanding is required, then the wood must be treated with sandpaper or with an abrasive mesh. Thanks to this, you can avoid getting wooden splinters in the paw of pigeons, as well as other injuries to their limbs.
- Then, markings are made according to the size of the birds.
- Boards must be sawn, guided by the markings described above.
- Then a square is assembled from the boards, fixed with screws or nails.
- In conclusion, it is necessary to install a net on the bottom.
Round Styrofoam
As for the process of making round foam nests, it will be different from the previous one, but the technology remains as simple and straightforward. It may also be noted that if you are raising lop-winged breeds of birds, as well as breeds with heavily feathered limbs, then you should take care of building a wall seat. Thanks to this, the birds will not soil their beautiful long plumage.
Required materials and tools
Before you start building round foam nests,you need to prepare all the tools and materials. For this you will need:
- Wide foam sheet.
- Stationery knife.
- Any metal dish with a round bottom. To do this, you can use a bucket, a cup.
- Glue.
- Sheet of parchment.
- Construction bandages.
Step by step manufacturing process
How to build a round-shaped styrofoam nest for pigeons? To do this, follow the step-by-step building process:
- Use a clerical knife to cut the workpiece. It is a rectangle of foam. Then you should focus on the size of the dovecote.
- Place a sheet of parchment on top of the foam blank.
- Heat the bottom of a pot, bucket, bowl or other container and carefully place it on a piece of parchment. Under the influence of heat, as a rule, the foam melts, gradually acquiring the rounded shape of the container used.
- The finished recess in the foam must be greased with glue, and then glued with construction bandages. This makes the construction more stable and durable.
Building shelving for the dovecote
This nesting option is best used when there is little space in your loft. To do this, shelving is installed along the wall, which can accommodate a large number of birds without taking up much space.
Such racks are convenient to use when laying eggs, as well as for their further incubation. The structure is used for mating pigeons and also as a perch. Shelving design can be mobile. To do this, you only need to attach the wheels, after which you can move the structure to any place in the dovecote. If you make a metal rack, then the pigeon house will be very durable and will last for a long time.
As for the size of the structure, it will depend on the size and breed of the pigeons. For birds, the average cells in the rack will have the following dimensions:
- Width - 30 cm.
- Length - 30 cm.
- Wall height - 30 cm.
You should also not forget that if you breed large breeds, then the dimensions of the cells increase by about 20-50 cm. With your own hands you can make a very comfortable rack, which is designed for six cells. This will require the following tools and materials:
- Chipboard sheets. In this case, the height should be 1 m, width - 30 cm. You will need six of these boards.
- One square meter of plywood sheet.
- Screwdriver or hammer.
- Screws or nails.
When all the tools and materials are collected, you can proceed to the step-by-step process of making a rack:
- First of all, you need to connect the boards, giving them the appearance of the letter P. They are fixed with screws or nails.
- Inside the finished structure, one board should be fixed in a vertical position so that it divides it in half. The board is fixedusing screws or nails.
- Then two boards are placed in a horizontal position directly inside the structure itself. So you get shelves. They are fixed with screws or nails.
- The last plywood sheet is used as the back wall, which is also attached with screws or nails to the side walls of the structure.
A few recommendations
The choice of nests for pigeons must be approached very carefully, carefully calculating the required size. The size and type of birds will affect the size of the frame. Adults in cramped nests may crush their chicks or cause developmental abnormalities.
Dovecotes can be equipped with removable nest boxes. The most experienced breeders of these birds prefer this option, as it makes it easier to clean and disinfect nests.
Eggs, chicks or bedding may spill out of ready-made nests. This will cause significant damage to your economy. This can be prevented by building a small ledge in front, about eight centimeters high.
In addition, nests must be accessible to humans. Thanks to this, it will be easy to replace the bedding, clean, disinfect.
As you can see, building pigeon nests is a very simple matter. You will make your task much easier if you use simple wooden boxes, for example, in which fruits are sold. To do this, it is enough to put twigs and sawdust inside, and allthe dove will do the rest of the work for you.
