There are a wide variety of pigeon breeds available that you may decide to keep. The most common purposes for keeping domestic pigeons are for sports such as racing and homing, for exhibition, as exotic pets, and meat.
Housing
Pigeons are most commonly housed in wire cages with droppings pans beneath them. If you plan to use wire cages, make sure to include a board on part of the cage floor to give the birds’ feet a rest from the wire floor. Since pigeons are ground-dwelling birds, they will appreciate some solid flooring for security.
Pigeons can also be housed in an aviary with a coop attached. Make sure that all wire used for the aviary is strong enough to protect from predators. A good rule of thumb for the footprint of a pigeon aviary is two square feet per adult bird. A height of 6 feet is tall enough to allow some flight to high perches. Be sure to allow for plenty of perching spots as high in the aviary as possible.
Nesting
Allow at least two nesting boxes per pigeon pair, and make sure to space the nesting boxes at least a foot apart. Pigeons can be territorial while nesting, so allow them ample choices for nesting spots.
Diet
Pigeons do well on a commercial poultry pellet diet that contains around 16% protein. They also enjoy fresh kale, lettuce, and dandelion greens. They will also eat dried or sprouted grains and seeds.
Pigeons always need a source of fine grit. During the breeding season in spring, also offer some crushed oyster shell for strong, healthy eggs and chicks.
Water
Pigeons love to bathe in open water, so a shallow container with a rough-textured bottom for their feet to grip is ideal. Shallow rubber feed pans work well and are easy to clean. Allow approximately 12 inches of pan diameter to accommodate one pigeon. They will take turns bathing, but if you can find a shallow pan that is wider in diameter, that’s ideal.
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