Equipment

[BridgetB]

I am VERY new to pigeons. We recently converted a chicken coop into a pigeon coop. Our pair (Homers)now have two young babies ! I have read all kinds of advice on how to release them, time of day, distance, and how to get them to come back inside. I need to know what kind of trap door I should buy so they can get in but the parents can't get out. How do I train them to use it? Will I need to cover the opening in the winter so they don't get too cold? My plan is to just release them for exercise and family fun. We won't be racing. If They seem strong enough we may release them at 4H meetings a miles away.

[jbangelfish]

It is bred into homing pigeons to return to their birthplace and most people who buy homers have to keep their purchased birds locked up as breeders forever.

Normally, you can only release the young that you produce.

Bill

[kippermom]

I bought a very suitable trap door from Jedd's Pigeon Supply that would let the young can get in and the old cannot escape. I ended up not flying them, but the door is suitable if I did!

[ND Cooper]

Hi BB!, Isn't it great to have Pigeons!
I don't know how big your loft is, but it kinda sounds like you might need a little more room? Or maybe, you might need to put in a section for your young. (yes Yours!)
It's true: Homers go Home! That's what they do.
Sometimes, If you're lucky, They will stick around long enough to fool you into thinking, that they will hang around, maybe even leave their young with you even, But... Some day, Some time... They might SPLIT!
That's when you know that you have good homers! (Stock)
I would seperate, (mom+dad from kids) as soon as the young are able to feed on their own. (know where food and water is) {shift} It's less stress on mom+dad. Dad will not tolerate junior (M) when junior is mature!
Beware , after you seperate, There just might be 2 more on the way!

[eric98223]

i built my first set of bobs with cable staples and coathanger wires they worked pretty good until i uprgaded just make them long enough that when you hang them over the door they will swing in only. (i have pictures im my photobucket of my loft and stuff) as for teaching them, when the can fly you lock them in an area that they can only get in through the bobs. but can not fly away after a few times of doing this (usually when they are hungry) they will know how to come in. as for letting them out do it the first couple times a couple hours before dark. make sure they are hungry. i would start now ringing a bell or whistling when you feed them so they can relate food with a sound. then you let them out and when they know you are feeding them they will trap in.
hope this helps if not let me know..

E..

[BridgetB]

I'll check out Jedds! My plan is to only release the young. Do they need some kind of roost to stand on before going through the door? Will they just naturally find the door? Also if an older bird got out accidently, would the young ones follow it to its old home?

thanks so much for everyones advice!

[maryjane]

Welcome to pigeons and to the site. I just wanted to add, since you converted a chicken coop, that you want to be sure the wire is 1/4 inch hardware cloth or at least 1/4 inch chicken wire (smaller than the usual chicken wire). This is very important as predators can get into a loft/aviary/coop if the wire has larger holes than 1/4". Wire on the bottom is also important. Good luck!

[ND Cooper]

Did you check out Loft Designs?
There are Many Ideas, and suggestions for you there.
Can you describe your converted C coop?
This way, everyone here, will have a better idea of your situation.

[BridgetB]

The coop is on the small size for chickens. Maybe 4feet by 6 feet. I can stand up in the doorway but not at the other side as the roof slants down. The birds can go outside to a enclosed fly area that is maybe 4 times the size of the coop. I can easily stand anywhere in the fly area, (I'm 5"2') I have perches both inside and outside and 4 nest boxes in the coop. We only have one breeding pair. We bought what we were told were two pairs but what I believe we have are 3 males and one female. I am hoping these chicks will turn out to both be female but my luck isn't that good... We hope to just have some family enjoyment from them and to manage to keep ahead of the local hawks.