Breeding pigeons is a very interesting hobby, and its history dates back more than one century. These birds are famous for their unpretentiousness in food, as well as in conditions of detention. But when it comes to breeding, especially of unusual and rare breeds, each poultry breeder should take care of creating ideal houses. In this article, you can learn how to make nests for pigeons with your own hands, with photos of possible options and step-by-step instructions. But first, you should consider the general requirements for these structures.
Pigeon Nest Requirements
One of the most important conditions for the correct, competent breeding of birds is the arrangement of their home. You will need to work hard on creating the most comfortable conditions for breeding and living birds. However, there are certain requirements for the housing of pigeons, thanks to which you can simplify the process of growing them:
- Each dove has its own perch. Each bird should have its own spacious corner where it will rest, as well as hatch eggs during the breeding 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 a zone 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 birds. Attention should be paid to additional heating of the dovecote with the onset of frost. For this, additional heaters are installed, and the walls are treated with special heat-insulating materials.
- Disinfection and regular cleaning. It is regularly necessary to disinfect and clean houses and nests for pigeons from droppings and other contaminants. Thanks to this, you can avoid the multiplication of various pathogenic microflora. Therefore, be sure to keep the pigeon nests clean.
- Timely litter replacement. You should also use quality bedding. As a rule, hay, straw or sawdust are used for this.
Before proceeding to the construction of nests for pigeons with your own hands, photos of which you can also see in our article, it is important to understand that many breeds of these birds have a well-developed nesting instinct, which is why individuals may not accept the prepared place. A little hay, paper, twigs or cotton wool should be placed in the house, so you will allow the birds to take part in the construction of the nest on their own.
Varieties of nests
Before making nests to pigeons, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that they are divided into two varieties. They can be rectangular or round. Let's consider separately both varieties.
Rectangular Nests
These nests for pigeons are made of wooden materials with their own hands. This variety is the most common. At the same time, many poultry farmers prefer to use this form due to the simplicity of design, as well as the availability of materials. Before you make a nest for pigeons in a dovecote of a rectangular shape, you will need to purchase only nails and boards, if none are available.
Another undoubted plus of a rectangular shape is the possibility of repeated use of such nests. However, this design also has a drawback, which is susceptibility to moisture, which cannot be said about plastic pigeon nests. If the microclimate in the dovecote is violated, then the boards will become unusable very quickly.
Round nests
Most often, round-shaped nests are made of foam. However, plastic, gypsum, 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 more willingly begin to build nests of exactly a rounded shape. The main disadvantage of this design is the possibility of deformation of gypsum structures due to excess moisture. In addition, quite often birds peck foam walls.
And now let's take a closer look at how to make a nest for pigeons with your own hands. Photos of finished designs can also be found in this article.
Nest construction
As mentioned earlier, rectangle-shaped 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 this, even a beginner in this business.
Rectangular made of wood
Please note that rectangular nests made of wood can be used not only for breeding pigeons, but also for small breeds of hens. Consider the detailed device and dimensions of the nest for pigeons made of wood:
- Width - 30 cm.
- Length - 30 cm.
- The height of the walls is 10 cm.
If you are the owner of a breeding stock, then you need to slightly increase the size of such houses.
Tools and materials
For manufacturing, the following tools and materials will be required:
- Screws or nails.
- Wooden boards, the thickness of which should be about 2 cm.
- Metal grid. Best applied with a small cell diameter.
- Screwdriver or hammer.
- Saw.
- Sandpaper or abrasive mesh.
Walkthrough
When all the tools and materials are collected, you can begin the main work. Nest construction should be carried out step by step:
- If grinding is necessary, then the wood must be treated with sandpaper or with an abrasive mesh. Thanks to this, you can avoid getting wooden splinters into the paws of pigeons, as well as other injuries to their limbs.
- Then marking is done according to the size of the birds.
- Boards must be sawn, guided by the above markings.
- Then a square is assembled from the boards, fixed with screws or nails.
- In conclusion, you need to install on the bottom of the grid.
Round Styrofoam
As for the manufacturing process of round foam nests, it will be different from the previous one, but the technology remains as simple and straightforward. It can also be noted that if you grow large-winged breeds of birds, as well as breeds with strongly feathered limbs, then you should take care of the construction of a wall seat. Thanks to this, the birds will not dirty their beautiful long plumage.
Necessary materials and tools
Before proceeding with the construction of rounded foam nests, it is necessary to prepare all the tools and materials. For this you will need:
- Wide foam sheet.
- Stationery knife.
- Any metal dishes with a round bottom. To do this, you can use a bucket, a cup.
- Glue.
- Parchment sheet.
- Construction bandages.
Step-by-step manufacturing process
How to build a nest for pigeons of rounded shape from foam? To do this, follow the step-by-step construction process:
- Using a clerical knife, it is necessary to cut the workpiece. It is a foam rectangle. 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 pan, 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 used tank.
- The finished groove in the foam must be greased with glue, and then glued construction bandages. Thanks to this, the design is more stable and durable.
The construction of shelving for pigeon
This nesting option is best used in case of a small amount of space in your pigeon. To do this, racks are installed along the wall that can accommodate a large number of birds, without taking up much space.
Such racks are convenient to use during the laying of eggs, as well as for their further hatching. The structure is used for pairing pigeons, as well as a perch. Shelving design can be mobile. To do this, you just need to attach the wheels, after which you can move the structure to any place in the dovecot. If you make a metal shelving, then the pigeon house will be very durable and will last for a long time.
As for the size of the structure, they will depend on the size and breed of the pigeons. For birds, the average cell sizes in the rack will have the following dimensions:
- Width - 30 cm.
- Length - 30 cm.
- The height of the walls is 30 cm.
Do not also 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 shelving, which is designed for six cells. This will require the following tools and materials:
- Chipboard sheets. The height should be 1 m, width - 30 cm. Six pieces of such boards will be required.
- One square meter of plywood sheet.
- Screwdriver or hammer.
- Screws or nails.
When all the tools and materials are assembled, you can begin the step-by-step process of making the rack:
- First of all, it is necessary 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 an upright position so that it divides it in half. The board is fixed with screws or nails.
- Then two boards are placed in a horizontal position directly inside the structure itself. So you get the shelves. They are fixed with screws or nails.
- As the back wall, the last plywood sheet is used, which is also attached with screws or nails to the side walls of the structure.
Some recommendations
The choice of nests for pigeons must be approached very carefully, carefully calculating the required value. The size and appearance of birds will affect the size of the frame. Adult individuals in tight nests can crush their chicks or provoke deviations in their development.
Pigeons can be equipped with removable drawers for nests. The most experienced breeders of these birds prefer this particular option, because thanks to this it is more convenient to clean and disinfect the nests.
Eggs, chicks or bedding may spill out of the finished nests. This will cause significant harm to your household. This can be prevented by the construction of a small side in front of a height of about eight centimeters.
In addition, nests should be accessible to humans. Thanks to this, it will be possible to easily replace the litter, carry out cleaning, disinfection.
As you can see, the construction of pigeon nests is a very simple matter. You will simplify your task much more 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 the dove will do the rest for you.