Go Figure!

[Jiggs]

After my new loft was built I spent plenty time on putting in perches and a few "nesting boxes" The birds that I moved from the old loft ( I left breeding pairs there as they are used to it and seem to enjoy it there) settled in quickly and before long eggs were laid by a pair of dark checks.

They used a nesting box - the highest one of course. They are the only two paired right now as the others are slightly young now. Underneath them are four other nesting boxes. The chick is about three weeks old now (only one egg hatched the other was flat at the bottom - hence my previous posts on soft eggs) so I gather twiggs etc, they still refuse to use pine needles wich I have plenty off, so I put these in the loft and two days later I see the male with a twig in his beak so I guess he is building a nest!

That evening I hear him calling his mate so I believe he must now be in a fresh nest and wooing his mate over to lay.

Well it turns out I was right but not after I want to go and see and nearly kill him by stepping on him, as he had built it on the floor right in the doorway. Man did I get a fright.

So I get some bricks to surround it to keep the twiggs together - yesterday evening at 5pm she laid the first egg and this morning looks evilly up at me as I step over her to feed the rest while I am looking up at the empty boxes. Her chick is still up in the top nest box getting on well as far as I can see.

Go figure

[Skyeking]

I understand your dilemna.

I have a couple that makes nests on the floor. We even added more cubbies, and most of my birds enjoyed them, and making them their homes, but not my one couple.

I picked them up several times and placed them in one of the cubbies, and as soon as I come back they are on the floor again. They have now picked out one corner where they consistently stay. I finally put a clean cardboard box layered it with newspaper and fresh cedar shavings on the floor and the hen has taken up residence in it.

This male is a bird I took in that needed a home, I don't know his history, maybe he is more comfortable on the floor. Either that or they just don't like the pigeons in the neighboring cubies.

[Jiggs]

Yip - I have just resignhed myself to this fact and will just have to be carefull when entering and exiting

[hillfamilyloft]

I also have a pair that nests on the floor. They do so because the Cock is not agressive enough to fight for a top box. I have one cock that controls 4 boxes, and another that has 2. Watch him and see where he is in the hirearchy. If all your boxes are together this may also be the case.

[Jiggs]

That is my issue - he is the only cock in that loft and he has a mate and there are two young birds which he "sorts out" regularly. there are 6 boxes they have one at the top where his chick of 3 weeks is in and now the 2 eggs on the floor

[Skyeking]

Originally Posted by hillfamilyloft

I also have a pair that nests on the floor. They do so because the Cock is not agressive enough to fight for a top box. I have one cock that controls 4 boxes, and another that has 2. Watch him and see where he is in the hirearchy. If all your boxes are together this may also be the case.

That could be possible (also he was introduced to my flock last), and most males do have three and four cubbies in my coop! Males are in the business to acquire more & more territory, but not this one.

The hen is a Black Diamond, and the male is a Bandit. Their youngster is now 5 months and he has acquired territory of his own, he was bullying everyone at 1 month old.LOL! He probably takes more after his mom.

[mistenle]

We had a pair that nested in the doorway and by moving the eggs about an inch a day were able to move them to the side where they wouldn't get accidentally get stepped. Because we only moved their eggs a little bit they didn't notice and remained sitting on the eggs.

[Skyeking]

Originally Posted by mistenle

We had a pair that nested in the doorway and by moving the eggs about an inch a day were able to move them to the side where they wouldn't get accidentally get stepped. Because we only moved their eggs a little bit they didn't notice and remained sitting on the eggs.

that is an excellent idea! ...IT CAN BE DONE!

If feeding locations for feral pigeons can be moved at several feet a day, why not nests, an inch a day.... LOL