# design and trap suggestions?



## FeathersAloft (May 27, 2010)

A little background.... I built an 8 x 16 loft last year, and started a white bird release business. Things are going fairly well, I've at least been able to pay for their feed, which isn't bad at this point.

But now I want to start racing! 
Several of my friends in the local racing club are breeding me young birds, and I have a couple already. But the loft I have is designed for about 50 birds, and I'm looking at eventually adding 50 more racers to start with.

I have been working on converting a 12 x 12 shed into a new loft.
So far we've emptied the building, and are in the process of putting wire over the eaves and gable in the rear.

Now I'm undecided! I'm thinking a 4' hall, and then 3 sections, each 4x8. This is small enough that I can catch any bird (once we add the lattice at 6 1/2 feet).

But... Here is my dilemma! I want one trap into the building, and I'm not quite sure how to do this.

My first loft has the birds enter thru the aviaries, with bob traps set on the inside aviary wall. This is great, but when I've switched birds from one side to the other, there is a relearning process. 

I want to be able to re-arrange the birds as needed, whether is it young birds/old birds, or males/females, or whatever, without having to retrain them!

Do I want a front hall with aviaries, a center trap, and them a bob type trap into each section? Or the trap in the center, above them all, with some type of contraption to direct them one way or the other?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

FeathersAloft said:


> A little background.... I built an 8 x 16 loft last year, and started a white bird release business. Things are going fairly well, I've at least been able to pay for their feed, which isn't bad at this point.
> 
> But now I want to start racing!
> Several of my friends in the local racing club are breeding me young birds, and I have a couple already. But the loft I have is designed for about 50 birds, and I'm looking at eventually adding 50 more racers to start with.
> ...


put a trap in each section.... you can keep the settling cage on the landing board to serve as additional aviary space when not using it.. I would not use the bobs,. a simple drop trap is enough and they do not hesitate at all with it.. here is a link of how lovebirds loft does her trap and aviaries and settling cages..


http://lovebirdsloft.homestead.com/TheLoft.html


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## FeathersAloft (May 27, 2010)

I'll be using a mechanical clock this first season, and hope to upgrade for old bird season.
If I had the money, I'd buy the digital clock now, but that just isn't in the cards...

OK, I'm still confused. With the one trap she has, how do the birds go into the separate sections? I need to go visit more lofts, I think...


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

FeathersAloft said:


> I'll be using a mechanical clock this first season, and hope to upgrade for old bird season.
> If I had the money, I'd buy the digital clock now, but that just isn't in the cards...
> 
> OK, I'm still confused. With the one trap she has, how do the birds go into the separate sections? I need to go visit more lofts, I think...


you just make a door into each section...a pigeon door..a drop trap.. the landing board is runnng across the loft...which serves as the aviary roof.. you make a drop door by cutting out a square about 16 x10h inches.. make the door hinges on the top so it opens into the loft at the bottom..make a dowl so you can keep it cracked open about four inches.. they drop right in the loft but can not get back out..those are in each section.. use a settling cage and open the door all the way and they can just use it to sun and be out like another aviary.. that is how you would train young birds too..


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

here is a link to my loft.. it is hard to see.. but if you look close you can see the aviaries and landing board.. the door is on the landing board..with a settling cage ...
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/album.php?albumid=341&pictureid=7782


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## FeathersAloft (May 27, 2010)

OK, the idea in my head is one trap (for once I get the electronic timer) then they go into separate sections.

With my white birds, I put them in a training box in the aviary. Opened the sliding door to that, and birds came thru the trap into their compartment. But, once I trained them to come in the right door, they had a hard time when they were moved to the left side (after they were trained out a bit).
They still wanted to use the right side aviary and door.

I am trying to prevent that problem, as well as have one trap for timing.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ok..say you got two seperate sections.. one for flyers and one for young just weaned birds.. both have a trap.. put the clock on the flyers section door...and when you race you will have a settling cage on the other section so they won't use that one.. but it will serve for training young ones..they should have their own section in the beginning.. you can close the human inside door to each section..or open it when you do not have any young birds and the flyers are all together then in both sections if you want.. if you do not want to use the second trap all you have to do is close it or put the settling cage infront of it on the landing board and they can still go out in there in the cage.. when you want to loft fly them..just open the traps all the way and take down the settling cages..


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## FeathersAloft (May 27, 2010)

This is my first loft. Notice the 2 separate sections. Center section (door) is a feed room/air lock.









This is the building we are working on. I am thinking we will move the door to the back, with a hall back there. Front will be all aviaries. 3 sections, yb, ob, breeders.
Orange on the left side is what I previously used for breeders. Old rabbit type hutch with 4 sections. 
We may attach that, so doors will be inside, and avoid escapees.


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## FeathersAloft (May 27, 2010)

oh, the side the door is currently on faces south. That is why we plan to move door, so all sections can get more fresh air.

First loft (and second small breeder one) face west. I'm learning!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

with a little work that should make a nice loft.. the window is an added pluse to let light in..


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## FeathersAloft (May 27, 2010)

We were actually planning to take out the window, and have aviaries all down that side.
More fresh air is always good, I've found!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

FeathersAloft said:


> We were actually planning to take out the window, and have aviaries all down that side.
> More fresh air is always good, I've found!


oh..well.. the hole will be there to use as you want...


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## swagg (Feb 13, 2011)

Hey. I know just want your saying about having them each trap to the right side. Check out my thread here : http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f38/my-first-loft-51033.html .
I made one landing board hole into the loft, and then they will trap to whatever side i have open at the time.


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## FeathersAloft (May 27, 2010)

thank you Swagg, that is exactly what I was looking for.
Do you open each side by hand, or a pulley?


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## The_Dirteeone (Apr 18, 2010)

Imagine that,a person builds a new loft ,and less than a year later,he wants more room for more birds?Hmmmm,sounds like me and most other people that start keeping pigeons,always want more room.I think we should start an intervention,and get to the root of this addiction.I just wish I had about 5 grand so I could go on one more loft binge before I go into rehab!!


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## swagg (Feb 13, 2011)

FeathersAloft said:


> thank you Swagg, that is exactly what I was looking for.
> Do you open each side by hand, or a pulley?


I have it set right now to open by hand, but it would not be hard at all to setup on a pulley system. I think i would operate the pulley system just like I did for my landing pad. One day I may just decided to do that


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## FeathersAloft (May 27, 2010)

New loft (don't ask about the tiny doors, we are still processing ideas while hubby tries to come up with time for the aviary)


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