# little loft



## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

i was wondering what you think of this design for a small loft. tell me what you think.


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

here is the basic lay out sorry if it isn't in great detail, I made it on the art program.


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

hello maine, i love small lofts, as i live in the city, but i think your setup pictured is quite small for 4 pairs. I have a feeling with 8 birds running around in there, with the possibility of 8 squeekers at the same time, might not be the best set up. There will be alot of teritorial fighting, maybe broken eggs, and scalped young in these conditions. The pairs will first and foremost fight over the upper two boxes as they know it as way safer then being on the ground. Also, I hope its a small breed like rollers going in there, and you should definately add 4 v-perches at minimum, as most of the time, only one adult will be occupying the nest box. If you dont mind suggestions, this is how i would set up your design. I'd do like you have pictured, but divide the loft into a left and right section (maybe with a chicken wire frame) where the door meets in the middle back to the middle of the two nest boxes, and eliminate the bottom two nest boxes all together. It then would only hold two pairs, but I bet you that you will produce the same amount of offspring with these two pairs in a roomier set up, then four pairs in a clustered set up. You off course would then have to put a trap on each side of the loft, and fly your birds daily to keep them healthy. Just a suggestion


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

ill make a 3d version for you when i get home from school tonight at 9. another long day 11-9 of class, with 1 hour of cumulative breaktime


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

Thanks, i didn't actually plan on having two more pairs, the extra nest boxes were just incase i needed them. 


but i would like to hear about your 3rd version of it.


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

hey maine, i just designed these for you. of course they are not exactly to dimension, but it just gives you an idea of what i was talking about.
front view without roof:








top view without roof:








feeder and trap, i used this type of feeder for a kit box i made, very cheap, simple and clean. just cut rectanvles big enough for their heads to poke throw, and have an angled trough:








complete outside view:


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

complete outside view with detachabe screen on landing board, allowing for a small flight pen:








notice the dowel running width wise under the nestboxes, and that screen is used to seperate the to sided:









hope that gave you an idea of what i was talking about


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## horsesgot6 (May 30, 2007)

Wonword,
What a Nice Job You Have Done On The 3D Pictures. What Software Did You Use. 

Have A Great Day,
Jennifer


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

My friend just sent it to me yesterday actually haha, just playing with it a bit. Its from google and is called sketch up, it is a free program that im using.


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

Wow that is cool, how did you do that?


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

i heard of that for designing Theatre sets today. wow it is a small world.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Fabulous job, Won! Very well done! Thank you!

Terry


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

Thanks Terry!


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## richardtheman (Jul 24, 2007)

I like the design!


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

i like it, must all lofts have a vent some where?


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

maine123 said:


> i like it, must all lofts have a vent some where?


yes vents are needed to help keep the loft dry, you however do not want "drafts." usually a vent close to the floor(if loft is raised off ground) and one close to the roof on the opposite side of the floor vent keeps a line of air running over the ground cover and drying it out.


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

is there any other "needs" for a loft


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

basically it just needs to be dry, provide protection from the elements and a place to nest/roost. but keep in mind, a loft built for easy access and cleaning saves alot of time and money in the long run, as the cleaner/drier it is, the less chances the pigeons will get sick and have to spend money on meds, etc. also keep in mind, to provide protection from preditors(cats, hawks, owls), rodents, and nuisance(sparrows, etc.). use small enough wire(chicken wire looks nice and is cheaper then other options) that keeps sparrows out(can transmit lice, etc) and just use common sense.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

The wire should probably be 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch hardware cloth (usually found in the fencing section of home improvement stores). It is more expensive than chicken wire, but it will keep out pests and predators effectively where chicken wire won't. 

Terry


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

Terry, i've never had a problem with chicken wire, but of course there might be different situations in different places. the thing i like about chicken wire on flight pens is how it looks like there is nothing there. but i have seen alot of lofts use the mesh stufff your speaking of, and it looks like it would work better. but its the whole appearance vs function argument for me


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

We have a very small chicken wire that is sold here, it just looks like miniature chicken wire (holes are 1/4"). It is sturdier than the flimsier large chicken wire, and safe against rodents. I don't know if they sell it everywhere but it's worth checking out.


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## learning (May 19, 2006)

Maryjane,

If it is what I think it is that you are describing it is called hardware cloth and it comes is 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch sizes. Unsually 2, 3, or 4 foot widths and in various lengths. Most home improvement stores like Lowe's or Home Depot should carry it.

Hope this helps,

Dan


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

Thanks alot


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

wonword said:


> Terry, i've never had a problem with chicken wire, but of course there might be different situations in different places. the thing i like about chicken wire on flight pens is how it looks like there is nothing there. but i have seen alot of lofts use the mesh stufff your speaking of, and it looks like it would work better. but its the whole appearance vs function argument for me


You can get it coated in black or green (that I've seen). With the color coating (which is some type of plastic), the wire appears to be invisible when installed. I know that sounds strange, but tis true.

If you have ever seen what a raccoon, for example, can do with chicken wire and what happens to the birds that were enclosed in it, you would definitely opt for hardware cloth.

Terry


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Loved the design Wonword. I'm going to have to download that program.

Margaret


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## johnnyksspeedshop (Oct 12, 2007)

Terry, Yeah, I live in the inner city, so I've never really the racoon problem, but im sure it happens alot.

Thanks, Margaret


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

well i think hardware cloth sounds safer for the pigeons


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

whats the differnts between the two?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

maine123 said:


> whats the differnts between the two?


I'm not sure what you are asking about, Maine. BUT .. hardware cloth would be a much safer alternative for your birds .. chicken wire won't save them from much of anything.

Terry


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