Genius composter/pigeon idea? Or dumb?

[Willowdale]

I'm thinking of building a dovecote over a compost bin in an enclosed building, with perches over an open bottom (obviously with shelves for the nests), so the poop drops directly the compost. There would be a chute to add kitchen waste and brown matter from outside the building, and a door to allow me to remove finished compost or mix the pile. The bin itself would be wire and raised off the floor of the building for air circulation. I'll put glass jar fly catchers in the wall of the building.

I'm basing this idea on human composting outhouse designs I've seen.

Maybe line the walls of the dovecote part with sheet metal to keep rats from being able to climb up into the nests. The enclosed building would hopefully keep them out, as well as other varmints.

Thoughts? Has anyone tried anything like this?

[Bearfootfarm]

with perches over an open bottom

If the bottom is open, the pigeons will be on top of the compost a lot.

You may want a wire floor seperating them from the pile.

Otherwise it sounds workable

[Willowdale]

Thanks Barefoot! I'm not sure I care if they're in the compost (I think they only eat seeds and grains), but I want to keep them from pooping outside the edges of the compost bin, so the chicken wire is a good idea.

Of course, we have osprey, owls, hawks and bald eagles on the farm, so this whole thing may turn out to be an expensive bird feeder for the raptors :-(

[Jenn]

Sounds great. Will the doves dislike the smell/fumes? probably not.

[Maura]

I never had a problem with the chickens preferring the straw on the floor to the perches. birds that roost prefer to be above (what they perceive to be) the ground.

There shouldn't be much in the way of fumes and smell because the kitchen/straw matter will be broken down by the bacteria naturally on them, and by the microbes in the manure.

[Bearfootfarm]

Of course, we have osprey, owls, hawks and bald eagles on the farm, so this whole thing may turn out to be an expensive bird feeder for the raptors :-(

I lose one every now and then to hawks, but I still have over twice the number I started out with, and mine are free to come and go all the time.

They normally reproduce faster than hawks will kill them.

If you start losing a lot at one time, just shut them in for a few days and the hawks will move on.

If they have access to the "ground" inside, some of them will try to nest there

[sunflower-n-ks]

Compost will put off heat. Have you taken that into consideration? Vents at the ceiling?

Are you going to use composting worms to help it all break down? They work real well with rabbits, not sure if the dove manure would be too hot for them?

[Paquebot]

Yes, it would work. Been that way for thousands of years as pigeons were the first creatures raised for both food and fertilizer. There are still some dovecotes in Europe which are hundreds of years old. For avoiding rat predation, the walls were smooth and roosts and nests high enough up to be safe.

For this particular operation, it would be better if the composting portion were passive or cold. In fact, if the bin were above the original floor, there would have to be considerable and continuous nitrogen input in order to maintain any heat. The open area under the bin would serve to keep the core closer to ambient air temperature. That would also mean that the birds above would always be safe from any gases or heat rising from the bin.

Although some pigeons may attempt to nest on the pile, they will not nest in an area where droppings are constantly falling. And then they would only do that when no other better nest areas are available.

Finally, you'd need an awful lot of pigeons to make much fertilizer. Our loft floors are cleaned only twice a year, spring and fall. From an average of about 50 birds, we'll fill perhaps 5 or 6 50# seed bags each time and a fair percentage of that is straw or ground corn cobs. Of course, the birds are only rollers so a larger breed would produce more.

Martin

[Bearfootfarm]

Baby birds will also end up at the bottom sometimes

To create actual "compost" you'll have to keep it moist

Also, if there is no floor over the bin, you won't be able to enter the inside of the coop without walking in the compost pile.

It might work better to have a floor in the coop with the bin at one side and a door in the wall or floor to sweep/shovel droppings into the bin periodically, rather than trying to house the birds directly over the bin.

Just something to think about...

[MELOC]

i would keep the pile on the ground and place chicken wire above it. i am thinking open bottom box several feet high and placed under the roosts. you could scoop up any droppings on a weekly basis and toss it on the wire and work it into the pile from inside the coop. i like the idea of having a chute outside for adding kitchen waste.

i see no need to worry about heat and gases as you will probably have plenty of ventilation in the loft anyway.