[spirit wings]

you will want to up the protein before you let them hatch babies and while they are feeding babies. would keep an eye on them for a few weeks to make sure everyone is healthy, you can give preventaive meds before breeding for cocci and canker. check the pigeon supply sites for meds. they will or might hurt them selves in the dark if they get startled, so you may want to cage them untill the morning so they can see their surroundings. it takes them a good week to settle in and know your routine.

 

[spirit wings]

Should I keep the cocks and hens seperate for a little bit or just let them all in together right away? Would it be bad to leave the light on in the loft for an hour or so? What can I give them to boost the protien?

if you have only pairs you can keep them together, going to a new loft is stressful and they would probably feel safer together for now. yes leave the light on for a few hours so they can decide where they want to rest or roost before the lights out. to up the protein there are differing things. alot of folks have their own way of doing it, I add game bird breeder pellets or even purina all stock, some even use the fish pellet feed in a crock dish in the nest box next to the seed, they say they eat it and like it to feed babies with it, I don't know as I have not tried it , I just mix a pellet that is 20 % protein in with my feed that is 16% protein, it also has the benifit of vitamins. you can also add safflower seed too as that is a fatty seed, not much nutrient in it though, but they like them alot.

 

[spirit wings]

antone have suggestions on nest boxes?

I would say 24' long 16' deep and 12' high, that would be the minimum I would make them, it is easier if you have fronts, or I would enclose at least half of the box with slates, you would put the slates back to back in the middle leaving the openings on oppossite sites of each other. here is a pick of some homemade nest boxes and fronts I found, If you can put the fronts on hinges to open the whole front to clean inside the box it woud be alot easier too.

 

[spirit wings]

My bad. I meant to say nest bowls. I already have nest boxes made in the loft. They are 30 x 14 x 16 tall with fronts on them. sorry about the confusion. There are pics of my loft in my album if anyone wants to see them. Thanks for the feedback though. I really appreciate all the help that I can get

oh, well I went to the family dollar and bought all the large plastic dog bowls they had, I like the size and they do curve in the bottom which is good, so you don't get splayed leg in the squabs. then I just put clay cat litter in the bottom or stall dry and some shavings, then give the birds pine needles to build a nest with and walla, nesties.