washington86
36 posts
Feb 13, 2006
11:57 AM
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What material do you use to make pigeon nest. The way I see is that the breeders use a bowl, like a dog bowl and puts a pieace of carpet into the bowl. I remember using a box but it was a total mess. Is it better to use something like a bowl.
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Safire
16 posts
Feb 13, 2006
1:07 PM
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I use pine needles for nest material, just to see if they can make a good nest for themselves. I also used to think pine needles were undesirable for nest material because of the sharp point, but the the birds seem to not be bothered by it.
Last Edited by Safire on Feb 13, 2006 1:13 PM
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Double D
131 posts
Feb 13, 2006
1:15 PM
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I bought a whole box of tobacco stems. All the birds seem to do is play with them until they fall down between the wire of the breeding cage. I got 'em because they were supposed to be good for lice and mites. Someone said they use tobacco stems but get them all wet then dry them into a nest-shaped mold. I'm going to try that next time around. Right now, my birds are nesting on top of a really soft rubbery type foam material that I discovered when we bought it to lay under a rug over a wooden floor to keep the rug from slipping. It's really soft and washable and the birds really seem to like it. Plus it has holes, almost like a net so that squab can keep his legs under himself and grow correctly. I found it at Walmart in the rug section. It comes in various sizes in a single sheet and then you cut it to whatever size you want. I put two in the bottom of each nest bowl to make it really soft and warm. The birds really seem to like it.
Darin
Last Edited by Double D on Feb 13, 2006 1:17 PM
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Safire
17 posts
Feb 13, 2006
1:25 PM
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Darin,
How long have you been that material? The way you describe it seems like it's very cozy for the birds and nestlings.
friend in the hobby
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tapp
50 posts
Feb 13, 2006
4:32 PM
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86 I use a Plastic bowl with holes drilled in it for air circulation. I cut round pads out of old car floor mats for the bottom. Put a hand full of hay in thier pens or loft floor and they do the rest.
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Tapp
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Double D
132 posts
Feb 13, 2006
7:21 PM
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Safire,
This is the first year I'm breeding so it's the first time I've used it but I'll tell you what, I sure like it. It holds heat real well once the birds warm it up I've noticed. My nest bowls have holes in the bottom so I tied the pads in with a garbage bag twist tie so they don't come out of the bowl. If I remember correctly, a 5' by 8' sheet cost me $9 and I got about 76 squares out of it - much cheaper than next pads from Foys.
Darin
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upcd
149 posts
Feb 13, 2006
11:46 PM
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I use paper bowls with pine needles. Also get boxex from Costco. They are divided into 2 or 3 sections. They are stackable. All can be thrown away when you are done. Nests are cleaned every week as is loft.
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Velo99
222 posts
Feb 14, 2006
5:00 AM
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I am using a 3 1/2 gallon bucket on its side as temporary nest boxes this season.I cut the lid about two inches tall to hold in the nesting materials,pine needles,a screw in the bottom to keep the bucket from rolling and voila`, a nest box.
In my good side I use an eight inch flower pot tray made from clay. They hold the heat quite nicely and are easy to clean.
Handful of pine needles in the bowl and they do the rest.
yits
Kenny
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siddiqir
135 posts
Feb 14, 2006
12:16 PM
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I use plastic weave nest bowls with nest pads. Pictures are below.
 
Last Edited by siddiqir on Feb 14, 2006 12:25 PM
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Safire
23 posts
Feb 14, 2006
1:49 PM
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In time, I will try all these different ways of nesting and see which works best for me.
yours in the hobby
Last Edited by Safire on Feb 14, 2006 1:50 PM
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Safire
27 posts
Feb 14, 2006
2:42 PM
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I read somewhere, I forgot where, but it said that fresh pine needles can repel mites and ticks. Is this true, anybody know?
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Swamp Fox
3 posts
Feb 14, 2006
6:24 PM
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Safire, All I know is when I go horseback riding in the Pines here in Georgia, I usually get a tick or two on me. From my experience, I don't think they do. I use pine needles and have to use the powdered material for swimming pool filters to make sure I don't have them in the nests. Maybe someone else might know for sure. I also hang up pest strips in the loft. This seems to work well for me.
Marion
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washington86
37 posts
Feb 15, 2006
11:49 AM
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thanks 4 all you guys adivse. appreciate it. i remember using pine needles and it produce a lot of mites and ticks. they are the killer of my baby rollers. they seem to come out of norwhere and kills the baby bird. its those tiny red bugs that look like a circle shape.
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Safire
28 posts
Feb 15, 2006
2:39 PM
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Wow. I should check on my birds for mites. I never knew pine needles can carry mites.
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Velo99
227 posts
Feb 15, 2006
4:30 PM
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I would like to relate this bit of odd pigeon behavior. i have a pair of birds I have been trying to get to lay for a couple of weeks ten days now. She is finally acting interested, sitting the nest,cooing and billing. Last evening I had another pair in the box directly above this cock who laid an egg. I got home today and the cock was sitting this egg and fighting off the pair who laid it.I went into the house and got a wooden egg, put it in his box, and put his butt in there with his hen and the door closed. I looked a few minutes later the old cock was rolling it with his beak and reminded me of an old biddy, kinda shook his skirt out and sat down on the wooden egg. I looked an hour or so later he and his hen are on the nest sitting this wooden egg. Geezly crow how funny!!!!
He wants to be a daddy.
YITS
KennyH
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Swamp Fox
4 posts
Feb 15, 2006
4:46 PM
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I have a hen that will roll the first egg out of the nest every time! She will then lay the second egg, set it, hatch it, and feed the youngster very well. Sometimes I try to be there in the evening to get it before she has a chance to roll it out and place it under another pair. I have been lucky enough to do this a couple of times.
Marion
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J_Star
240 posts
Feb 16, 2006
4:47 AM
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Wash86,
It appears to be that those bugs are called 'Red Mites'. They usually come at dark and suck blood off of the legs of the birds. Sometimes, when the loft is infested so badly, they will suck blood from anywhere on the birds not just the legs.
You can purchase stuff that will kill them. I don't remember the name but it is wine red color and it feels oily. It comes in a squeeze bottle. Best is to empty the container into a spray bottle. This way it will cover allot. Spray it on all the cracks and the perches. Most likely spray the whole loft with it. Do it in the evening to make sure the stuff is still not dry before those mites come out to do their damage. Repeat the process in a week or two to make sure they are all destroyed. Repeat the process again every six months or so to make sure they will never come back to your loft.
Jay
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Swamp Fox
6 posts
Feb 16, 2006
6:09 AM
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Does anyone know the name of this stuff?
Marion
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Swamp Fox
9 posts
Feb 16, 2006
11:24 AM
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Thanks, Jay. I am going to order some..just to be safe. I also have used Scalex for this same purpose. I don't see the birds prancing on the perches as they say they do when red mites are prevalent. But, you never know.
Marion
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J_Star
243 posts
Feb 16, 2006
5:29 PM
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Since we are talking about medication, I would like to inform you that don't mix medication in water using fountain that are galvanized. Medication react negatively with the galvanized steel. Also if you are using heater to keep the water from freezing, stop using it for the duration of the medication in the water. Usually medication is used for a duration 3 to 10 day depending on the type of medication. Use the plastic fountain when medicating your birds, always.
Medications mixed with water in a galvanized fountain will cause you birds 'sour crop' and if continued will poison the birds. Just food for thought...
Jay
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wizard
9 posts
Feb 16, 2006
10:58 PM
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for mites and such..........use cedar chips..works great for all kinds of bugs just alittle with what ever you use in the nest bowl
wizard
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J_Star
245 posts
Feb 17, 2006
5:05 AM
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Wizard,
That is a greet point. Fresh Cider will deter bugs.
There is an article about Demetrious Earth (DE) in the 'All Roller Matrix' on the side of this page. Read it and might give more ideas to combat the bugs such as mites, lice, fleas and whatever in the loft and inside your house. Best of luck...
Jay
Last Edited by J_Star on Feb 17, 2006 5:05 AM
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siddiqir
136 posts
Feb 17, 2006
6:50 AM
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Just an FYI... Demetrious Earth is not a good choice. It is very harmful to human lungs. Do Google or yahoo search and read about it. The unvisible DE particles circle around in loft/kit box as birds fly around and you will eventually inhale it. Thanks, -Rauf
Last Edited by siddiqir on Feb 17, 2006 6:50 AM
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J_Star
248 posts
Feb 17, 2006
7:14 AM
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Rauf,
That is a good point you brought up. But when the DE is laid on cracks and crevcis or in the bottom of the nest box, or mixed with the loft floor dressing, or mixed with the breeding nest materials, it sticks and stay in place. It would't be flying around to harm anybody. Even though the amount that is dispenced is so small that is neglegable, in my opinion. But always, we have to take precaution with everything, because there is not enough money in the world to substitue with our own health and well being. Cigeratte smoking and the dried up dust from the pigeon droppings far worse than any small amounts of DE that goes into our lungs. Thanks for your input...
Jay
Last Edited by J_Star on Feb 17, 2006 7:25 AM
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siddiqir
137 posts
Feb 17, 2006
10:44 AM
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Jay, the only concern I have is HOW you would know that it is not circling around in the loft/kit box. These particles are INVISIBLE. All you need is few wings flips and it will be all over the place. Other point you make is pigeon dropping! well we have no choice there. Have birds or do not have. With DE, there is a choice, price of DE is went down very sharply as fanciers start to learn about it.
Last Edited by siddiqir on Feb 17, 2006 10:49 AM
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