# New loft - "Pirates Perch" - It's about time!



## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

Well, it's taken about 3 times as long to get this far as I hoped it would.
Georgia ends up having 2 snow storms and more rain this winter than in the past 10 years.

Aside from a 2nd coat of paint and the hardware cloth, I'm done.
6'6' x 8'6" prisoner loft (for now) 7'6" inside height.

It cost............$15, and that was for the paint.
I promised my wife it would be cost neutral so I built it from constuction scrap and left overs.

I do have 2 more sets of nest boxes to hang but that's just 6 screws each.
The nest boxes are 28" wide, 12" deep and 14" high


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

*More pics*

I built a gravity feeder into the wall


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

*Even more pics*

I built 2 gravity tube waterers that will be hung in the aviary.
The aviary is open with 2 levels.
It's 5' tall, 4' wide and 3' deep. 
no roof over most of it and it faces south.

Electrical is run to the building. I have all the hardware and only need to connect the switch, light fixture and heating element.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

looks good, like the nest boxes.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Great job although, I'm not exactly sure how your contraption in the last 2 pictures is going to work.


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## wolfwood (Jan 26, 2009)

WOW! Nice job!! Your birds are STYLIN" !!!!! I really like the fountain ... mind if we borrow the idea for our aviary (to be built once the snow melts) ??


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Charis said:


> Great job although, I'm not exactly sure how your contraption in the last 2 pictures is going to work.


I was wondering the same thing? How DOES it work? I can't really see that bunji cord holding that container when it's full of water. That will be pretty heavy.
The loft looks really good though. You did a terrific job.


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## Pegasus (Feb 6, 2007)

You are good to go...Let the stocks start breeding in it...It's neat and a clever idea you did there on the home made water fount...Very roomy...Great work...


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

Charis said:


> Great job although, I'm not exactly sure how your contraption in the last 2 pictures is going to work.


It's a gravity tube.
The water will fill up to the line of the bottom of the jug (about a quarter inch below the lip)
as the birds drink the tube will refill.
Same thing you can buy for pets at petsmart.
You know, those bowls that you screw an upside down cola bottle to.
They make the same thing for small poultry pens but I made mine out of spare plumbing parts and an apple juice jug.

I had several just like it when I raised pigeons as a kid.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Pegasus said:


> You are good to go...Let the stocks start breeding in it...It's neat and a clever idea you did there on the home made water fount...Very roomy...Great work...


How are they supposed to get the water?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

randymcone said:


> It's a gravity tube.
> The water will fill up to the line of the bottom of the jug (about a quarter inch below the lip)
> as the birds drink the tube will refill.
> Same thing you can buy for pets at petsmart.
> ...


They drink out of the white tube?


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

wolfwood said:


> WOW! Nice job!! Your birds are STYLIN" !!!!! I really like the fountain ... mind if we borrow the idea for our aviary (to be built once the snow melts) ??


Be my guest.
It's made from left over sink drain parts, applejuice jug and "Gorilla glue".
The glue does not come in contact with the water. Gorilla glue expands as it dries. you just seal the top thread of the collar and screw it down tight.


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

Lovebirds said:


> I was wondering the same thing? How DOES it work? I can't really see that bunji cord holding that container when it's full of water. That will be pretty heavy.
> The loft looks really good though. You did a terrific job.


No, that was just for the picture. The waterers weight is held by notches cut into the running board perches in the aviary. The bunjie cord just keeps them from being pulled over.


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

Charis said:


> How are they supposed to get the water?


From the open end of the tube. 
The water just sits there right below the lip of the opening.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

there has to more to it..?? they might get their little heads stuck in there. oh never mind, just saw your explaination....


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Is there a perch for them to stand on?
My worry would be, the bird drinking into the water...rather than the water running out of the container...so they are constantly contaminating the water should they be ill.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

you have done a very nice job!!
When I move to GA can I hire you to build my lofts


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

*Pictures of how the waterer works*

Here are a few pics of how the water works. 
I'm not very good at explaining it.

See how the water level stays just below the edge of the lip?
You can see that the jug is full of water but it will only rise to the lip until the birds drink from it and then the water will refill.


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## Ed (Sep 18, 2008)

I think his works in the same concept as this one does it just looks a bit different
water goes in the top and gets refilled as the pigeons drink it up


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

Charis said:


> Is there a perch for them to stand on?
> My worry would be, the bird drinking into the water...rather than the water running out of the container...so they are constantly contaminating the water should they be ill.



Yes, the waterer is built into the upper level perches in the aviary. In both corners, as the birds move to the corner there will be a waterer there. only about an inch from the edge of the perch.

I have 6' "running boards" all around the upper level of the aviary

I hadn't thought of contamination. the jug feeds the tube. Wouldn't any other water container hold any germs a bird may leave behind when it dips it's beak?
Even a "ball tube" bottle like the ones you get from petsmart would spread any germs from the last bird to use it. I'm not sure how to correct that. Hmmmmmm


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

Nice work on the loft! Post up some pictures when you get the birds in there.


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

StoN3d said:


> I think his works in the same concept as this one does it just looks a bit different
> water goes in the top and gets refilled as the pigeons drink it up


Bingo!
(Tapping my nose with the tip of my finger) That's it.
I've used these for years and never had a problem.
They're actually pretty good about not getting fouled.
They're off the floor and have a small surface area so it's hard to get anything into the tube other than their beak.

Does any one know about this? Just becasue I didn't have problems in the past doesn't mean it's not trouble waiting to happen.
Any advice?


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

I'm making some of those waterers!! Great idea. You can avoid contamination by simply changing the jug each day, as you would with any other waterer, I would think. Looks like a great all-around set up.


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## texas.410 (Apr 15, 2008)

I like the water also. Good idea I might make a few of those. I think those would stay cleaner that the bullet waters. I always get a lot of down feathers on my bullet waters.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

StoN3d said:


> you have done a very nice job!!
> When I move to GA can I hire you to build my lofts


GEORGIA! I did not know this. when ya goin?


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

HIP, HIP...you know the rest....
The loft is DONE...really DONE. and I just got back from Tenn where I picked up a breeding pair of Chinese Owls that came from Mike Thompson in Canada, And a breeeding pair of Horseman Thief Pouters and 2 of their squeekers. Thank you Joe!
They are getting used to thier new digs and I'll have pictures in a day or two.
This has taken almost a year to complete.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Will look forward to the pictures, Randy! Glad it's all finally done.

Terry


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

And well worth the time, sounds like! Can't wait to see completed pics with the new guys enjoying the digs.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Very neat job!
Waterer will not work though because the pipe bend goes to low, lip of the bottle should be able to suck air to keep water level. Sorry for bad sketch.


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## Gnuretiree (May 29, 2009)

Very nice work. I admire your budget. How many birds do you intend to keep?


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

The waterer wasn't completed in the picture. I filled it to mark the siphon line. I had to cut it down to just at the bend. It works now with no problem. Last night the Horseman thief pouter hen seemed to enjoy the gurgle it makes when she drank from it.

I have room for 20 or so birds. At this point I'm going to keep it to just 4 breeding pairs and let nature fill in the space.

As for the budget, up until I installed the hardware cloth it cost me $15. After seeing several breeders lofts and finding that so many breeds AREN'T the rats with wings she was rasied to believe, my wife consented to the $42.00 for hardware cloth. LOL.

It's 7:30am and I'm headed out to the loft to sit and commune with my new friends.


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

I have a few pictures from my cell camera. 
http://www.piratesperch.webs.com/


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

oh that web page is so nice! the birds look really great, I love those pouters. so how did you come up with the name of the loft ?I really like it. Are you near the coast there in GA? how did you do the web page? Also keeping pigeons is a great hobby, sitting with them makes you feel so relaxed and takes you away from the regular grind.


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

The local school and rec sports program is called the Raiders, my son plays for them and we've always loved pirates. Vacations in the Bahamas visting pirate museums and locations and searching for Gold on the treasure coast in Florida.
The web page is free at webs.com.


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## Mike McDonald (Aug 5, 2009)

Randy,

I built a feeder like the one you pictured here and my pigeons are pulling all the feed out until its empty and just throwing it around. Do you have that same problem? It holds the feed well but the birds throw it all out. How can I prevent this? I thought of making the front lip a little higher. I am trying to prevent wasting feed and keep the birds from picking contaminated feed off the floor. I understand that's how many deseases are spread.

Mike


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Mike McDonald said:


> Randy,
> 
> I built a feeder like the one you pictured here and my pigeons are pulling all the feed out until its empty and just throwing it around. Do you have that same problem? It holds the feed well but the birds throw it all out. How can I prevent this? I thought of making the front lip a little higher. I am trying to prevent wasting feed and keep the birds from picking contaminated feed off the floor. I understand that's how many deseases are spread.
> 
> Mike


which feeder are you talking about? I use the one made with plexiglass it holds all the feed with out any waste. they can not sling it out of there.
http://www.foyspigeonsupplies.com/catalog/108.html


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## Mike McDonald (Aug 5, 2009)

At the begining of this thread, Randy shows a feeder he built onto the side of his loft. It keeps the birds off the floor when eating and allows you to store/dispence a quantity of feed.

I may take a hint from the feeder you use and place plexiglass with holes over the feeding trough.

Mike


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

Mike,
Hmmmm, I get very little waste. The box feeds into a 2 inch deep well that holds the feed at the bottom of the incline. Most of the feed that is "thrown" around falls back into the well. The pieces that do fall out end up on the landing board and I sweep them into a waste bin each day. My birds don't empty the feeder though. 

Randy


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## randymcone (Nov 19, 2008)

I just knew this would happen....I've had birds for all of one week and I'm already adding to my loft.
It's 7x9 and I'm building a screen divider between the nest boxes and the majority of the perches for the young birds and adding another aviary for the breeders side.

My young birds are "bothering" the breeding pairs and I'm afraid they might cause problems.

I knew I'd eventually have to do this. I just didn't picture expanding my loft after only a week. LOL.


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