Helpful hints and tips

They're very pretty.

NiteOwl wrote:

I meant to add that I like the way the cages just fit into that space. Using the two cages that way is a great idea, instead of a larger cage that would also be higher and wouldn't fit there. It's like you built the shelving to fit the cages.

Looks nice. Where did you get cages in that color?

I think it's a great idea.
Space saver on the outside, yet, spacious on the inside for the pijjies.

Piper's cage was suitable for a flightless pigeon who could walk well, but when Hercules moved in some changes were needed because of his handicapped leg.

There's a flat, wider perch, the two nests were lined with cardboard (to stop his toes catching on the holes), the inner wall of the bottom nest was removed, and there's a platform leading to it:



The balcony no longer has a railing, and it's a tiny hop from the perch.



He seems to like the arrangements!

That's perfect Teresa. Pigeons love platforms to roost on and balconys too.

Super setup, Teresa.
Love the heart cutouts.

Teresa, that turned out great. And yes, they do love the platforms to perch on. I like it. Thanks for sharing it.

Teresa - how is Sammy doin' in the meanwhile? I am thinking a lot about her. All the relapses I am experiencing with Winnie currently are making me sad and I can only hope that she will recover completely. And so I hope your Sammy will!!!

pigeonwriter wrote:

Teresa - how is Sammy doin' in the meanwhile? I am thinking a lot about her. All the relapses I am experiencing with Winnie currently are making me sad and I can only hope that she will recover completely. And so I hope your Sammy will!!!

Sammy still stargazes a lot, but she's otherwise healthy and happy, and she lays the biggest eggs of all! She's totally devoted to Pippin, and benefits a lot from her company.

Matilda wrote:

Ya know...they may each enjoy a brick to perch on too. My birds just love them. :Yes:

I think I found a 'brick' that's safe for Sammy: it's a piece of a ceramic roof tile, with the edges sanded smooth. It's only one inch high, so Sammy can't hurt herself! Both pigeons seem to like it, too!

Teresa wrote:

pigeonwriter wrote:

Teresa - how is Sammy doin' in the meanwhile? I am thinking a lot about her. All the relapses I am experiencing with Winnie currently are making me sad and I can only hope that she will recover completely. And so I hope your Sammy will!!!

* Sammy still stargazes a lot, but she's otherwise healthy and happy,

** and she lays the biggest eggs of all!

*** She's totally devoted to Pippin, and benefits a lot from her company.

* That's great, Teresa.

** :That\\\'s so f

***

Teresa wrote:

Matilda wrote:

Ya know...they may each enjoy a brick to perch on too. My birds just love them. :Yes:

I think I found a 'brick' that's safe for Sammy: it's a piece of a ceramic roof tile, with the edges sanded smooth. It's only one inch high, so Sammy can't hurt herself! Both pigeons seem to like it, too!

Isn't it interesting how they like to stand on something and it really doesn't matter how thin it is. They just enjoy 'stepping' on to something.

That was a great idea for a perch Teresa. They like anything that brings them up just a little higher. I just use wood and can make a shelf any height I need. The roofing tile is a good idea.

AZJourney had a great idea for pigeons who find it hard to climb ladders:

Quote :

I have figured out by watching Phoenix how he gets up and down the ladders. and As I watched him he still seemed to struggle getting up the side of the ladder... which is how he goes up and down. SO I got out my sewing machine awhile ago and made fleece slip covers for the ladders... like little pillow cases..and now he zips right up and down.

Terrific idea! Thanks, Jenn!

Pigeon curtains for birds who live in busy rooms and like their privacy:

Hercules and Piper's cage is in my study. There's a lot of activity during the day, and at night the lights are often on until late.
After a few attempts, this was the solution they liked best: lined fleece curtains attached to the cage with simple tie-ups. They keep out any drafts, filter out the light, and provide their nesting area with enough privacy. They can easily be taken down to wash.

There's a side curtain (Hercules was out exercising, and you can see their new landing board, sturdier than the previous, with two grooves cut across the top so they can get a beter grip):



And a front curtain:



During the day it's usually like this:

That's a great set up, Teresa.

Nests and shelves by AZJourney -- Thank you, Jenn!

Here is a few more ideas: The first picture is a pair of our dovies( Noah and Noelle) but I sure do love this basket and wish I could find a few more. What I like about it is, that their tails are able to be just at the right height and they don't get all ratty from hitting the sides of their nest.



This is Phoenix's shelf below, but he loves this, I know carpets aren't ideal, but we have many that get switched out and it gives him some footing. It is plywood with holes drilled in the 3 corners and then ziptied to the cage side.

This is A shelf idea below.... it is one of those wire under the sink organizers. I just flipped it upside down and zip tied it to the side of the cage. Don then cut a piece of Plywood and then I used sticky tiles on top of it. SO it slides right in for the shelf.



OR... ((AND Please excuse the mess on top of his cage, tis' just the food caterer's serving tray LOL) BUT--Depending on how much room in the cage you have this is Journey's cage ( Our king) And I used an organizer shelf unit for closets and zipped tied that to the side of the cage. And then Plywood and sticky tiles as the actual shelf. Anyways... I know when we were just setting up a cage it was great to see all the ideas...Imagination is endless LOL! Hope this helps a tiny bit.

I love the curtains, Teresa.
And the landing board is great.

Matilda wrote:

That's a great set up, Teresa.

Thank you, Charis! They keep trying to tell me what they want, and I eventually get close...

Thanks for posting Jenn's ideas in this thread.

AZWhitefeather wrote:

I love the curtains, Teresa.
And the landing board is great.

Thank you, Cindy!

There is actually a very funny story about the landing board. The wood part had a former life as a used chopping board that my mother gave me, and Soni cracked up laughing when she saw what I did to it: 'So gran's chopping board is only good for pigeons to step all over?' 'Only after it was thoroughly disinfected, you know what your gran's cooking is like...'

Teresa wrote:

AZWhitefeather wrote:

I love the curtains, Teresa.
And the landing board is great.

Thank you, Cindy!

There is actually a very funny story about the landing board.
The wood part had a former life as a used chopping board that my mother gave me, and Soni cracked up laughing when she saw what I did to it: 'So gran's chopping board is only good for pigeons to step all over?' 'Only after it was thoroughly disinfected, you know what your gran's cooking is like...'

Teresa wrote:

Pigeon curtains for birds who live in busy rooms and like their privacy:

Hercules and Piper's cage is in my study. There's a lot of activity during the day, and at night the lights are often on until late.
After a few attempts, this was the solution they liked best: lined fleece curtains attached to the cage with simple tie-ups. They keep out any drafts, filter out the light, and provide their nesting area with enough privacy. They can easily be taken down to wash.

There's a side curtain (Hercules was out exercising, and you can see their new landing board, sturdier than the previous, with two grooves cut across the top so they can get a beter grip):



And a front curtain:



During the day it's usually like this:

That's really nice. Looks a lot better than the towel I use for Scooters curtain. Maybe I'll do something like that. Thanks for the idea.

Jenn, your baskets are really cute. They look so cozy.

Protecting valuable plants from your pigeons

I didn't want to discourage the pigeons from landing on my lavender, but the poor plant was starting to look very bedraggled, so instead I used a couple of branches stuck into the soil to act as perches.
And I've also found that a plastic, artificial plant stuck in the middle of a plant pot will help protect tender plants placed around it. Here I used one with purple flowers, to blend with the colour of the lavender.

Here are Principessa and Sweets giving the new perches their seal of approval.

Great idea, Teresa.
I love the picture.