# should we fix the problems with our loft or just trash it? (w/pix)



## Squeaker (Aug 9, 2012)

the first pic is our loft. the second and third pix are the shed that we can use but really would prefer to make our loft work. we need some opinions, should we fix the problems with our loft or use the shed?

in order for us to make our loft work, we need to:

make the doors smaller
build outdoor aviary in the back of the loft
make some better perches out of 1x4
cut some ply wood so we can block the doors in bad weather
install bob trap instead of belgium drop trap because they learned how to get out of it over night.
(and probably some other things)

if possible, we would REALLY like to make this loft work because we are going to try to get into white dove releases with our white homers. this loft was designed so that it would look nice when people came to see our birds. there are some serious flaws in it and they need to be fixed.

we also have a shed that we could use but it needs a false ceilling, a look out, nesting boxes, a trap door and perches.

we started out with 15 birds. i let one out accidentally but it stayed here and got attacked by a hawk. hes currently recouperating but he should make it. then my boyfriend let one out while we were trap training. that one cicled a few times then flew directly toward his loft where he was hatched 2 miles away. then 3 more birds figured out how to get out of the trap last night or early this morning. one is still in the area and the other 2 we think flew home. i think some of our birds were a little too old, but the guy said he will replace them with some younger ones. now we have 11 birds in our posession, but i dont know if one of them will ever fly again... so really, we have 10, but who knows how many of those will fly home like the other 3 did.

if we need to not use our loft, maybe we can use it as a breeding loft for just a couple pairs and just grow our own flock to avoid these issues with birds being too old and put the babies in the shed when they are old enough. this is of course if we can convince our current birds to pair up. but of course this will be much harder to train all of them if theyre different ages.... i feel like we are in such a mess right now and im not sure how to get out of it


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## horseart4u (Jun 16, 2011)

I'D say make them both work for you. use one for breeders one for the young. you can easly make that shed ( garage ) into a breeding loft, just clean it out, add nest boxes, perches and put doors with hardware cloth on it on the inside so you can still close the door on it now in bad weather. the loft you have now just add the trap, perches and small aviary if you want to, it has open front already.


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## Chocolate Head (May 18, 2009)

Your loft seems fine, depending on how many birds you want. You could section off what you have for breeders/prisoners and for some yb's, but you wont be able to have too many. However, depending on what your long term goals are as a pigeon fancier, you many need to work on the shed. Regardless, I think you should abandon the poles you have in your existing loft and build some better perches. Your birds will be a lot happier and are less likely to get injured.


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## Squeaker (Aug 9, 2012)

Chocolate Head said:


> Your loft seems fine, depending on how many birds you want. You could section off what you have for breeders/prisoners and for some yb's, but you wont be able to have too many. However, depending on what your long term goals are as a pigeon fancier, you many need to work on the shed. Regardless, I think you should abandon the poles you have in your existing loft and build some better perches. Your birds will be a lot happier and are less likely to get injured.


Yeah i know. They need better places to sit. That and fixing the doors are first on our list


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I would fix up the loft so it looks real nice, then have some young birds in there to show clients. Then fix up the shead and use it for breeding, it would only have to be built to serve your needs nothing fancy .


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## Squeaker (Aug 9, 2012)

Shadybug Lofts said:


> I would fix up the loft so it looks real nice, then have some young birds in there to show clients. Then fix up the shead and use it for breeding, it would only have to be built to serve your needs nothing fancy .


We just talked to our local pigeon fancier. Hes well known in the area and has been doing this since he was 9, hes now like 65-70. He had so much knowledge to share. We are much more comfortable now and know what we need to change. We will be putting a bob trap instead of the belgium drop trap. We will also be putting a door on the side and bringing the loft all the way to the ground so we can walk in and close the door to grab the birds. We also need a bigger landing board.

One thing he said though is to let them out in the morning and feed them as soon as theyre all out. But our morning schedule is pretty unpredictable, sometimes we leave super early, before the birds are awake. Can we just let them out for a few hrs in the evening, say 4:00pm to 7:00 pm? How do we blend our schedule with theirs?

He also said to just open the trap and let them go out on their own, no settleing cage, no trap training. Just to keep the trap open and theyll come back when we call them for food.... it freaks me out to just let em go, but obviously we gotta let them do it. Letting them just walk out makes sense because they wont be scared from us catching them. What are your opinions?


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## Nomad_Lofts (Apr 12, 2011)

Think very carefully of what you want to do and you will find what you want until you change your mind. I would use the shed its ready to go!!!


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## TylerBro (Mar 14, 2011)

you have to not over feed them one oz per bird ... and make them hungy so they learn when you call them in with what ever you want .. Yell , honk a horn, use a whistle .. then i would move to the trap traning with a settling cage ( put them all in there and call them in to eat) who ever doesnt come in dont feed them ,... give them a time limit say 5 mins, they will go to bed without dinner and will learn to come when called .. dont worrie they will be okay i had a hen that took two days of not eating to learn who was boss and to come when the dinner bell rang... she is one of my top hens now. 


and make the birds work for you i feed only at night about 4pm 7pm and i let them out about two hours before dark when im loft training after they trap good .


as for your trap did you have fins on it? or a perch under it? i love my drop trap and never had anyone get out i have fins that stick past the drop part and nothing under it... 


i would keep the loft the way it is and use it as a show peace and let people see it . get a net if you have to catch them that way ... only keep say 7 in there so it looks like they are happy and not cramped. ..
but get some V perched or make a Box perch you could get a really nice long one in there with many boxes so the birds can pick ...


and what i do with my racers is i hand feed them .. hold feed in your hands and let them peck it ,..i do this for about 4 mins then let them eat what is left over from there feeder ... ive had a bird more than once fly to me so i could clock it insted of it going in the loft. .. love how fast it is to catch them flying at you then you going to them ha ha love old manual clocks ... our club is behind ha ha 

When i first hand feed i kinda hold my hands like a cup and let my other one touch them and get them use to me being there and all hands on with them ... helps them out alot ....


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## Squeaker (Aug 9, 2012)

Nomad_Lofts said:


> Think very carefully of what you want to do and you will find what you want until you change your mind. I would use the shed its ready to go!!!


I think we are going to raise our own flock and convert it over when we get our first couple babies and put them in there when theyre weaned. Our local guy was very optimistic about our loft.


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## TylerBro (Mar 14, 2011)

a wise man once told me .. fly your birds your way... you cant fly your birds for him ....


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

If you going to have a white dove releases I would think you will have to train them just like you would for racing,


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, they need to be trained as Shadybug says.


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