Hi folks. I am new to pigeon keeping am about to build my very first loft. We have already revamped our loft plans several times after looking through this section of the forum and seeing what's out there. The only thing we have definitely settled on so far is that we are going to build our loft off the side of our chicken coop, and the aviary will be 8x10 and 8 feet high at it's highest point and 6 feet at it's lowest point.
We thought at first to build hutch style boxes in the aviary for shelter for the pigeons.
But this morning while feeding the chickens I started to think perhaps I should build hutch style shelters INSIDE the chicken coop and cut entry points right into the side of the chicken coop.
We live in New York and winters up here can be very harsh. We also live in the middle of open farm land and in winter the winds are always high, cold, and constant.
Building the hutches inside the coop would provide the pigeons with a very well insulated shelter (double insulated even), and would also maximize my space in the aviary, it would be completely open save the perches.
The birds would not be able to get to one another at all...
What are your thoughts on this? Would the pigeons be bothered by the close proximity of the chickens?
My chickens are very healthy, vaccinated, and I have not had any problems with parasites at all. Of course keeping them on the same property guarantees that that would be exposed to one another no matter what I do.
Thank you for any insight you can offer. I really appreciate the advice
We thought at first to build hutch style boxes in the aviary for shelter for the pigeons.
But this morning while feeding the chickens I started to think perhaps I should build hutch style shelters INSIDE the chicken coop and cut entry points right into the side of the chicken coop.
We live in New York and winters up here can be very harsh. We also live in the middle of open farm land and in winter the winds are always high, cold, and constant.
Building the hutches inside the coop would provide the pigeons with a very well insulated shelter (double insulated even), and would also maximize my space in the aviary, it would be completely open save the perches.
The birds would not be able to get to one another at all...
What are your thoughts on this? Would the pigeons be bothered by the close proximity of the chickens?
My chickens are very healthy, vaccinated, and I have not had any problems with parasites at all. Of course keeping them on the same property guarantees that that would be exposed to one another no matter what I do.
Thank you for any insight you can offer. I really appreciate the advice