I want to build a dovecote

[Do224]

I’ve spent most of the morning searching without success for info to help me build a dovecote.

Simple things like how much ‘head room’ should there be in a nesting compartment…

I want to make one suitable for three pairs of doves. I like the look of the hexaganol double tiered designs that would traditionally take six pairs…so I thought I would make a smaller version (still six sided) with entrances for only three pairs (one in the top floor and two in the bottom floor.

Maybe it’s a long shot but has anyone built a dovecote/have experience of keeping doves and can give me some pointers/help me with some basic questions.

Feel free to send me a dm if you like. Thanks

 

[Vanterrier]

Any good...

https://pigeonpedia.com/free-dovecote-plans/

K

 

[The Poot]

I’ve spent most of the morning searching without success for info to help me build a dovecote.

Simple things like how much ‘head room’ should there be in a nesting compartment…

I want to make one suitable for three pairs of doves. I like the look of the hexaganol double tiered designs that would traditionally take six pairs…so I thought I would make a smaller version (still six sided) with entrances for only three pairs (one in the top floor and two in the bottom floor.

Maybe it’s a long shot but has anyone built a dovecote/have experience of keeping doves and can give me some pointers/help me with some basic questions.

Feel free to send me a dm if you like. Thanks

I once built an octagonal dovecote and I was quite pleased with it.
Obtained some Danzig High Fliers, shut them in as recommended and fed them well.
Released them after a period and it was great to see them fly……high. Lovely sight.
They would come back for food, but didn’t really use the dovecote much.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have a few recipes I can share with you when you're up and running.

 

[Sutty]

I have a few recipes I can share with you when you're up and running.

Many years since I had (delicious) pigeon pie - but I'm pretty sure they were woodies.
But for less usual meat I was pleased to find my local butcher sometimes does squirrel pie

 

[Vanterrier]

Ask for the tastier Red and watch his face change
K

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Many years since I had (delicious) pigeon pie - but I'm pretty sure they were woodies.

usually - a far superior meat to pheasant but very rich, the traditional recipe thins it down a bit by adding beef, but I have made neat pigeon pie before now. A colleague on the boats once cooked them in a white wine sauce but everyone around here said you couldn't beat the way my grandmother cooked pigeon - just stuffed with a thyme and onion bread stuffing and slow roasted in the oven.

 

[JamezF]

We see far more collared doves around here than pigeons.

James

 

[Do224]

It’s starting to come together. I underestimated just how complicated it would be to get the angles right on a hexagonal structure. Still need to put the roofing on over the ply base. Was going to use tiles but it’s already a pretty heavy thing so will just use shiplap as it’s lighter. Will have to buy some…so far I’ve gotten away with just using bits of timber I had lying around

I read online that the nest boxes should be between 9” and 12 “ cubes…a bigger space is needed for fantails than straight tails. The box has an ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’ and just has the three entrances visible. The downstairs has a partition and should have suitable size nest spaces for two pairs of straight tails and the upstairs is all one space and plenty room for a pair of fantails.

 

[The Poot]

It’s starting to come together. I underestimated just how complicated it would be to get the angles right on a hexagonal structure. Still need to put the roofing on over the ply base. Was going to use tiles but it’s already a pretty heavy thing so will just use shiplap as it’s lighter. Will have to buy some…so far I’ve gotten away with just using bits of timber I had lying around

I read online that the nest boxes should be between 9” and 12 “ cubes…a bigger space is needed for fantails than straight tails. The box has an ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’ and just has the three entrances visible. The downstairs has a partition and should have suitable size nest spaces for two pairs of straight tails and the upstairs is all one space and plenty room for a pair of fantails.

View attachment 39630

That’s very nice, better than my octagonal one. I hope the doves appreciate it.

 

[Vanterrier]

Looks good well done

K

 

[Erichalfbee]

It’s starting to come together. I underestimated just how complicated it would be to get the angles right on a hexagonal structure. Still need to put the roofing on over the ply base. Was going to use tiles but it’s already a pretty heavy thing so will just use shiplap as it’s lighter. Will have to buy some…so far I’ve gotten away with just using bits of timber I had lying around

I read online that the nest boxes should be between 9” and 12 “ cubes…a bigger space is needed for fantails than straight tails. The box has an ‘upstairs’ and ‘downstairs’ and just has the three entrances visible. The downstairs has a partition and should have suitable size nest spaces for two pairs of straight tails and the upstairs is all one space and plenty room for a pair of fantails.

View attachment 39630

That’s absolutely lovely.
Barn owl box next?

 

[Do224]

That’s very nice, better than my octagonal one. I hope the doves appreciate it.

That’s kind of you to say . Do you have doves in yours or is it just ornamental?

 

[The Poot]

That’s kind of you to say . Do you have doves in yours or is it just ornamental?

It was a long time ago. I had doves in it for a few days and then they decided they preferred the house window ledges…..
Ingrates!

 

[Do224]

It was a long time ago. I had doves in it for a few days and then they decided they preferred the house window ledges…..
Ingrates!

I’ve been reading about ‘homing’ them in…apparently you have to cover the whole thing in netting which goes down to the ground like a teepee. Then a month later you can release them properly and they should be settled.

 

[Do224]

Made a tawny owl box a few years ago but it’s just been frequented by crows every year…

 

[The Poot]

I’ve been reading about ‘homing’ them in…apparently you have to cover the whole thing in netting which goes down to the ground like a teepee. Then a month later you can release them properly and they should be settled.

Yep, did all that and they still cleared off!

 

[Do224]

Yep, did all that and they still cleared off!

I’ll keep my fingers crossed then!

 

[Markthebuilder]

Interested how this has worked out 4 months on

 

[Gilberdyke John]

That’s absolutely lovely.
Barn owl box next?

My son bought an owl box from an organization (I think it was the owl trust) and we put it up on the end of an old piggery about 20 years ago. Even a tiny CCTV camera inside it. There's never been an owl even look at it. I think a pigeon investigated this spring but it's still not occupied