Gun Dog Forum

Currently i use this chicken hutch http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/w ... n-capacity from tractor supply to hold a few pigeons or quail when i can find them that i use within a week. I would like to get 4 or 5 homers to keep so i dont have to keep buying birds and i really dont have time to trap. I have 2 Gsps. Would this work if i modified it so they can get back in on their own? thanks

I am pretty new to pigeons myself but I would think you might want to get it up off the ground a little more for protection and you will need to get young unflown birds to start with . I hope someone with a little more experience chimes in with some more help for you.

magspa wrote:Currently i use this chicken hutch http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/w ... n-capacity from tractor supply to hold a few pigeons or quail when i can find them that i use within a week. I would like to get 4 or 5 homers to keep so i dont have to keep buying birds and i really dont have time to trap. I have 2 Gsps. Would this work if i modified it so they can get back in on their own? thanks

It will work for a holding pen for a few birds. You will have to put in a door for the bobs And a way for you to get them caught when you need them.

Ezzy

Seems awfully small to me to keep them in any kind of flying condition. You could easily build a larger one using 2X2s and chicken wire. Here's a picture of mine in the back yard...I don't have homers in it, but primarily breeders.





I can easily house up to 30 birds with room to spare. It measures 8'x5'x6'. The chain link portion is a recent addition as well as a small aviary that isn't pictured.

Jay

Thanks, good to know cause ill never have more than 5 in there. Ezzy, do you mean bob as in bob door for them to get back in?

magspa wrote:Thanks, good to know cause ill never have more than 5 in there. Ezzy, do you mean bob as in bob door for them to get back in?

Yeah, and be sure to make it so you can close it at night.

Ezzy

I would definitely raise it up a lot and definitely add a re-enrty door. Much to close to the ground. Animals like cats and dog's that want to will just jump on the top, probably terrify your birds. As for size, if you actually do keep it to 4 or 5 birds, I don't think having the pen will help much, not enough bird's. Shoot two or three bird's and your gonna have to be looking for more bird's. And shoot two or three and you could even be out of breeder's. I assume you only have one dog and no friends you train with that also need bird's. If your not catching your own, looking for birds can be a pain in the butt. You'll spend more on gas getting them than it would cost for a larger pen and more bird's. IMO what you have, if raised up, would make a really good breeding pen for maybe two pair if you have another pen to put the young bird's in once they are ready to move out of there.

thanks DonF..I have two dogs. I figured if i had 5 birds, 2per dog for training and a spare. Thats assuming they will come back to the coop. Shooting them would be a problem, so i woud just use them for steady and backing work. Another pen or coop isnt really an option, i live in the suburbs and the wife is already annoyed with the present hutch. I know a guy who always has wild pigeons but he is about a 45min drive $4/bird, that gets old once a week. Maybe my best bet would be to net some at night and just hold them in this hutch prior to training. I really need to move out of the burbs.

where do you train can you put a coop there?

At some point your gonna want to put down multiple birds for the dogs, three of even four. You don't have enough now. I don't know where you live, do you have ordnance's keeping you from having birds? I've known a lot of people over the years with a back yard loft. And you can't shoot close? At some point you will want to shoot a few birds for them, you'll make the trip, we all have. Pigeons are easy keeper's and not that expensive. Don't short yourself on training birds. Two dog's I'd plan on about 10+ birds. As I said, at some point your gonna make the trip and shoot some birds for your dog's, your gonna have a hawk eat one now and again, some will just die for no reason you can see. Don't short yourself on birds!

No i cant put one where i train. I dont shoot shotguns at my normal training area cause there is a school about 200yards away, i do use the .22 there. I go to a public hunting area when i do shoot the birds. Thanks for he info, doesnt seem like i can have a big enough loft at this time.. I may try netting them at night.