Instructions
Build a shed or loft with an attached fly pen for the homing pigeons. A workable loft size is 4 feet by 8 feet with a 7-foot height. Provide a sturdy roof and a door for easy access.
Construct the breeding loft so it is dry and draft-free. Make it rodent- and cat-proof. Design the loft so both shade and sunlight are provided to the birds throughout the day.
Attach the nest boxes to an interior wall of the loft. Provide two nest boxes for each breeding pair of pigeons. The nest boxes are 12-18 inches wide, 12 inches high and 12 inches deep with a closed back.
Place a 1-inch-by-4-inch board across the front bottom of each nest box to retain the nest material and keep the eggs and squab from falling out. Extra nest boxes will prevent quarreling among the breeding pairs.
Construct a separate perch in the loft for each bird. Perches can be made from 1-inch-by-4-inch boards. Attach the 3-inch-long perches to the board across the front of each nesting box.
Design an easy-to-clean loft to avoid a buildup of feces. Cover the floor with an inch of sand and place bedding material on the bottom of each nest box.
Breeding Loft for Homing Pigeons
Homing pigeons return to the loft where they live when released in another area. The breeding pair builds a nest and the hen lays two eggs in the nest. The cock and hen take turns incubating the egg for 18 days. The eggs hatch and the squab (young pigeons) spend 30 to 32 days in the nest. A week after laying the eggs, the hen builds a second nest and lays two more eggs. The breeding pair keeps busy incubating eggs in one nest and feeding the squab in the second nest. Consider this behavior carefully when building a backyard breeding loft for homing pigeons.