[Bella]

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

 

[Charis]

I think that's a great idea.
You'll be happier in the long run, if you don't make your ceiling any higher than you can reach while standing on the floor. If you need to catch yur birds for any reason, and they are out of reach, your life will be needlessly complicated. I KNOW ...by learning the hard way.

 

[george simon]

Don't put chickens and pigeons together.GEORGE

 

[james fillbrook]

thats a ver good idea the pigeons will not worry aboput the chickens in one of my averies i have got both in the same area

 

[spirit wings]

sounds like a good idea if they can not mingle, but Im confused, if you are building a loft then why do you need the coop at all?

 

[Bella]

Thanks guys, I'm glad that seems to be a halfway decent idea. I have been really worried about how the pigeons would fare through our winter on our windswept little plain here, and this would assure me that they will be warm and well protected.
The birds won't be intermingling at all. Basically I am going to be building a solid row of hutch style boxes inside the chicken coop, each with an access door for cleaning inside the coop, and each with a door into the outdoor aviary attached to the outside of the chicken coop.

Thank you Charis! I will drop my roof a bit then, I'm short

Spirit wings: I think the confusion is an error in my terms...I was using loft and aviary as being interchangeable....I take it I am wrong...lol.. I'm sorry, I'm sure you kind folks will have to correct me quite a bit until I find my way about pigeons

George: Can you elaborate? I am open to suggestions and know next to nothing, but have alot of enthusiasm for learning. Did you think I meant my pigeons were going to be living with my chickens? They are definitely going to be completely separated...the hutches will be solid wood except for perhaps a small screened window on the access doors for ventilation..

edit for spelling...gotta spell right I do I do.

 

[wolfwood]

We also have ENORMOUS winter winds here and it can drop to -40 with wind chill at night, so I understand exactly!!! Be sure to provide some WINTER flying room for your pigeons, too. Maybe you can let them out into the Aviary during your winters (or you could fashion some kind of cover to drop over the screening ???) ... but our winds would rip any cover off so we keep them closed inside and they fly around in the loft for the winter. Don't forget to think about the water, too...

 

[Bella]

Well for winter I'm planning to tack up the semi transparent roof panels (the ones that let light through a barn roof) On all but one side of my aviary (the door side), where there is no wind and should keep the vast majority of snow out.
I am lucky to have a utility pole close to the coop, which has several outlets for power cords. Last year I managed to find a heated waterer for my chickens, and that worked very well for them.

Will that be sufficient?

 

[wolfwood]

Sounds like you have it all covered (litterally ) !! The birds are A LOT HARDIER than it seems like they should be and handle the bitter cold just fine (certainly better than I do!!) But then, you already have the chickens, so you're at least a step ahead of me

We just started our pigeon story last Sept. when we had a young feral bird decide he wanted to live here. No injury ... he just chose US. We also knew NOTHING (thank goodness for Pigeon Talk) ! We now have a very simple chicken-coop-turned-pigeon-loft (photos in my album), several babies, lots more plastic eggs (for population control), and 16 pigeons (rescues + babies). It's not quite the magical undertaking that it seemed it might be I do envy you your multiple plugs, tho'. Our loft abuts our dog kennel (attached to the house back door) and we run extension cords from the loft to the house for brooder lamps and electric water dishes. Not real pretty in the winter - but it works!! And that's what's important!!