Heating/cooling?

[michbird]

A thought occurred to me yesterday, as the temp rose to 97f outside and 104f in my house (central air unit took a poop)....
I plan on putting the loft to the side of the back garage under a large maple to help keep it cool. It will be a double redrose starter loft (4' x 16', door in front center between the aviaries) with a tall aviary to each side.
I'm wondering if I shouldn't add a ceiling fan- like a bathroom exaust fan- to the roof for cooling?
Also, It gets sometimes below zero here in the winter. Do you think I should heat the loft? The rooms in our house each have their own electric heat/thermostat. We are taking out one of the bathrooms to enlarge the kitchen, so I would have an extra I could use....Or is just good insulation a better idea?
LOL- I did want to keep this simple, but I do want them to be comfy
Your thoughts on this are much appreciated!

[Trees Gray]

You can keep the coop near the tree, but you should consider any sap that might run from the tree onto the coop if it is directly under the tree, also if you plan to release your birds, they need to know where their coop is from a distance. You should have plenty of air flow under the eaves, and allow them access to an open(netted with hardware cloth) area where they can bathe and such.

In regards to heat, I would be careful in the winter, better to have it well insulated. Pigeons can handle cold, but they can't handle drafts of air and rain inside the coop. They do need good air flow,ventialtion, and shouldn't be near any exhaust.

Others will be along to help with their resolutions to the cold temps in winter.

[michbird]

Thank you, Treesa...Points I had not thought about, and probably better more in the open then. I do plan on releasing, and they would have quite an open area to the left of the garage.
Yes- I plan on starting with a proven breeding pair, which will have to be kept as prisoners. I do want them to have lots of room, so the tall aviary/flying area is important to me. The front aviaries pictured on the loft plans will still be there, but they just look like takeoff/trapping areas to me.
As far as heating/cooling...Well, I tend to have a habit of spoiling my animals. It sounds like if I were to go overboard I would learn the true meaning of "spoiled to death". I really have to watch myself at times
I'll keep an eye out for other replies too- Thank you so much!

[Charis]

Hi Mari,
I spoil my birds too. My birds are in my garage. I had a fan installed to stuck the hot air out. It's set to come on when the temperature reaches 75 degrees. It can get pretty hot here especially in July and August.

I use a heater in the winter to keep the temperature above freezing.
Keep spoiling them.

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by michbird

Thank you, Treesa...Points I had not thought about, and probably better more in the open then. I do plan on releasing, and they would have quite an open area to the left of the garage.
Yes- I plan on starting with a proven breeding pair, which will have to be kept as prisoners. I do want them to have lots of room, so the tall aviary/flying area is important to me. The front aviaries pictured on the loft plans will still be there, but they just look like takeoff/trapping areas to me.
As far as heating/cooling...Well, I tend to have a habit of spoiling my animals. It sounds like if I were to go overboard I would learn the true meaning of "spoiled to death". I really have to watch myself at times
I'll keep an eye out for other replies too- Thank you so much!

JMO...........these birds do not need heat and they do not need cooling. Good air circulation is essential, especially in the hot, humid weather. Good feed during the winter and they will be fine. Spoiling your birds is fine, but there's a difference in spoiling a pet and spoiling a loft full of birds. The birds that you get when you initiallly get started will not be in your loft forever. You'll bring in new birds, move out old birds. The ones you may give/sell/ or even loose along the way, will only suffer when they have to go to someone who doesn't heat their loft or if they have to spend a few nights out in the cold. Most pigeon fanciers, with a loft, do not heat their loft. It's just not a necessity.

[michbird]

Originally Posted by Lovebirds

... The birds that you get when you initiallly get started will not be in your loft forever. You'll bring in new birds, move out old birds. The ones you may give/sell/ or even loose along the way, will only suffer when they have to go to someone who doesn't heat their loft or if they have to spend a few nights out in the cold. Most pigeon fanciers, with a loft, do not heat their loft. It's just not a necessity.

Wow- Another good point! I certainly would not want to have them suffer at new homes. Thank you for your input, Lovebirds

[Charis]

Not to start a debate, although that could be lively.LOL I do have 30 pigeons in my garage , a small flock to say the least. When it's bitter cold and the wind chill drops into the teens, I turn the heater on to keep the temp just above freezing. It's by no means warm by my personal standards but I think they appreciate.

[michbird]

LOL- Charis, Now why do I always end up doing this?
Just kidding. Actually, I don't see reason to not install the heatermajiggie just in case- seein since I already have it. I don't have to keep it toasty warm, but if the depletion of the ozone causes the ice age before we expect it, I can flip it on and attempt to keep the little darlings from becoming icicles
I guess the question isn't whether or not to install something like this, but how to use it. So far, alot of good pros and cons have been mentioned. Keeping these points in mind will help me decide how I can best maintain their needs

[Victor]

Well actually, my coop did have a small non teflon hearter inside last Winter in addition to the plastic on the front door and front of the coop.It took the bite out of cold.

I think they appreciated the extra warmth especially at night.The coop is pointed south, so it naturally warmed up nicely after the sun rose.

I must confess, when we had 6 pigeons my wife "made me" bring them inside when we had a freeze blast come through. We had them in the laundry room which has windows all around.

As far as summer, well now that we have a flight pen next to their coop, I can shower them and they just love it.

I do have a fan inside pointed up to help with air circulation but it will be used only on extra hot heat index warning days. (the fan is pigeon-proofed for safety by the way)

[amoonswirl]

Originally Posted by Victor

I do have a fan inside pointed up to help with air circulation but it will be used only on extra hot heat index warning days. (the fan is pigeon-proofed for safety by the way)

Hi Victor,
I am wondering how you pigeon-proofed the fan in your loft. I am planning to move my birds out to an enclosed porch on the back of my house very soon.

It does get hot out there in the summer and a fan would be just the ticket to keep the air circulating during those heatwaves. But how to keep it safe?

btw- michbird - Hope you don't mind my tagging along on this thread- very good considerations and advice!

[Charis]

Originally Posted by amoonswirl

Hi Victor,
I am wondering how you pigeon-proofed the fan in your loft. I am planning to move my birds out to an enclosed porch on the back of my house very soon.

It does get hot out there in the summer and a fan would be just the ticket to keep the air circulating during those heatwaves. But how to keep it safe?

btw- michbird - Hope you don't mind my tagging along on this thread- very good considerations and advice!

You could put a cage around the fan. That's what I did.

[michbird]

Those bathroom exhaust fans have covers

[TerriB]

For what it's worth, in THE FLYING VET'S PIGEON HEALTH & MANAGEMENT -by Dr. Colin Walker, he states that the optimum temperature for pigeons is between 65 and 75 degrees F. His focus is racing homers.

[michbird]

Thanks, Terri Is that the temp they fly best in, or the temp they should live in?

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by michbird

I do want them to have lots of room, so the tall aviary/flying area is important to me. The front aviaries pictured on the loft plans will still be there, but they just look like takeoff/trapping areas to me.

If you plan on releasing the birds then you don't need too much flying area inside the coop, however you don't have to consider the aviary to be tall, as they need length. My aviary is just high enough that we (& most people) can walk comfortably inside, it doesn't need to be too high, but do consider some length. The coop however is higher as well as long.