How to Build a Pigeon Pen
If you breed pigeons, keep them as pets or for hobby racing, you should provide them with comfortable housing. Customize a sturdy pigeon house that offers the pigeons a safe haven from predators, as well as protection from adverse climatic conditions. The size of the pigeon house or loft will depend upon the number of pigeons that you have and the amount of space at your disposal.
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Things You'll Need
- Cement or brick slabs
- Wire mesh netting
- 2-by-4 inch wood boards
- 1/2-inch plywood
- Nuts and bolts
- Shingles
- Wire mesh
- Plexiglas sheets
- Aluminum frame
Instructions
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Decide upon the best location to position the pigeon house. Pigeons fall ill in damp and draft-filled environments and need the warmth of the sun and proper ventilation to remain healthy. Position the pigeon house entrance to face the south, for maximum sunlight during winter and cool shade in the summer. You can also position the front of the pigeon house to face the east, to benefit from the warm morning sun in summer, and shade from the hot afternoon sun rays that fall on the back of the pigeon house.
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2
Use cement or brick slabs to create a raised platform on which you will place the pigeon house. The platform should be nine inches higher than the ground level. Wrap the raised platform with wire mesh netting to prevent predators.
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3
Prepare a sturdy floor for the pigeon house using a 2-by-4 inch wood board. Cut the wood floor into sections and use nuts and bolts to join the sections for ease of portability, if required in the future. Reinforce the flooring by connecting 2-by-6 inch joists with nuts and bolts at the center behind the wood board.
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Build the two side walls, back wall and the roof with the half-inch thick plywood. Connect the sidewalls and the back wall to the floor with nuts and bolts. Fix the roof over the two sidewalls. Cover the roof with shingles to prevent water from entering the pigeon house when it rains.
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Construct perches using 2-by-4 inch wood boards. Pigeons are territorial and should be provided with separate perches. For a 4-by-7 foot pigeon house, cut the boards in 10-by-12 inch compartments.
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Prepare a sliding front door with Plexiglas. Use nuts and bolts to fix an aluminum frame on all four sides of the pigeon house, to enable the Plexiglas sheet to be moved vertically or horizontally whenever the door is opened. The Plexiglas sheet will allow sunlight inside the pigeon's house and also provide you with a view of the birds from the outside.
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Tips & Warnings
Maintain the cleanliness of your pigeon house by fixing plastic vinyl tiles or removable sliding acrylic sheets on the floorboard to catch bird droppings. You can easily clean them with soap and water and allow them to dry in the sun or wipe them down with a cloth.
Ensure that the design of your pigeon house complies with the zoning requirements of your neighborhood.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Majid Saeedi/Getty Images News/Getty Images
