Racing Pigeon Nesting

I have experimented over the years with different types of nesting material and I have finally settled on simple twigs which can be purchased from local pigeon racing suppliers.

I like to put the twigs in a clean area in the loft or outside as long as it's dry, and to let the birds collect their own and build their own nests. This way the birds make a full contribution and feel happier that they have built their nest in their way.

Some people simply place the twigs into the nest bowl but I don't think the birds are entirely happy unless they have worked and achieved the results they want. If you don't buy the twigs and put them in the loft, you will find that the pigeons will try to gather and collect their own nesting material from outside.

That's great except you will find that both the young and old pigeons will end up with lice which is easily treatable but not really what you want, plus you don't know what other insects/parasites are being brought in with this outside debris, so play it safe, buy it yourself and then you know it is clean material and the young will be reared in a healthy environment.

There are other nesting materials which you can use but it's best not to use anything that may be absorbent and therefore may introduce dampness into your loft.

Don't clean the nest bowls until the young have been weaned because the build up of twigs and droppings makes for excellent insulation providing warmth and comfort for the young squabs.

Pigeon Tea

What ingredients do I need for pigeon tea?

Many pigeon fanciers add a tea recipe to the birds drinking water. Generally the view is that it improves the look and feel of the birds and promotes good health.

Personally I have experimented with a couple of recipes including elderberries and other fruit but I think that probably the best is to use nettles. Chop the tops of the nettles off and heat gently in hot, not boiling water. Boiling it kills certain vitamins, so allow it to heat up for a while to the point where the water discolours. Allow it to cool and add it to the drinking water.

I don't tend to give this daily, maybe 3 times per week, but you will find that the pigeons don't like the bitter taste so persevere and a good tip is to remove all water after the morning feed, so that when they come to the evening feed they are thirsty and they will take the nettle tea mix.

Nettles are a natural ingredient and are packed with vitamins and nutrients so whilst it's not scientifically proven to improve performance it can't do any harm. If you buy additives and vitamins for the water, they are expensive and most of it gets chucked down the drain because you should be changing the water at least once per day.

Whether or not giving your racing pigeons tea increases your chances of winning that all important pigeon race is debatable but it is all about small degrees and it's certainly worth experimenting with.