# How many racing pigeons can this loft hold



## Jamie Heuberger (Jun 2, 2012)

The loft will be 12 feet wide and 8 feet back 7 feet high. There will be 2 sections 8 by 6.

I was thinking on 30 young birds to start in one section. Is that enough room.

Thank you


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## realtalk72 (Nov 7, 2009)

25 Ea. Section


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## Jamie Heuberger (Jun 2, 2012)

*numbers*

Thank would not be a big team to race with lol.

Am I better off making the old bird section 5 x 8 and the younger birds 7 feet by 8


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## Hareloft (Jun 26, 2011)

young birds should have more room in my opinion


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## ThePigeonKid (Jan 15, 2009)

Hareloft said:


> young birds should have more room in my opinion


How much more room?


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## napcinco05 (May 10, 2011)

that should be enough. I got 24 young birds in a 4x6 loft. my space is very limited. that's all i can afford. my birds doesn't look stressed and they seem all healthy. as training goes, i know i'll lose some so that would give the remaining ones more room. so far i lost 1 to a hawk.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You might check out this thread...

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f14/how-many-pigeons-will-fit-62127.html


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## sunshineracinglofts (Sep 1, 2011)

in general 1 sq ft per bird... this is of course general. 

a cpl factors that i believe play more into than this than size 

1. ventilation: im in houston and we are the lofts around here are 2 sides plywood and 2 sides screen/mesh with roofs on top, so we have a LOT of ventilation, i dont have to really worry about ventilating. I think this is the main concern with over crowding, loft size, bird question. 

2. Perches- You need to have 20% more perches than birds IMO. This is something I am doing now and its working great.

3. food/drink- need to have ample feeding space. A flyer heres loft is so packed, full of birds WELL over the 1 sq ft per bird and he doesnt have fly aways.... his reasoning is he has plenty of feeders and waterers. Dont know if this is true or not, im just throwing it out there. 


SO in my city i would have no problem filling my loft up to 1 sq ft a bird, but ive seen some lofts that are more northern that are much less ventialted where you could run into problems


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

napcinco05 said:


> that should be enough. I got 24 young birds in a 4x6 loft. my space is very limited. that's all i can afford. my birds doesn't look stressed and they seem all healthy. as training goes, i know i'll lose some so that would give the remaining ones more room. so far i lost 1 to a hawk.


That's way too many birds in your little space. They may look good, because that's what birds do...they pretend to be okay even when they aren't, as a defense against predators. A sick acting bird in the wild is an easy target for a predator. Once the sickness is noticeable, the bird is really sick. I think the clock is ticking for your birds.


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## sunshineracinglofts (Sep 1, 2011)

so dramatic charis,

I think its safe to say there are fanciers all over the world that have a similar small set-up, 

without even seeing his loft, knowing him, knowing his ge0location you basically tell the guy his birds are going to die... ha cmon


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## Quazar (Jul 27, 2010)

sunshineracinglofts said:


> so dramatic charis,
> 
> I think its safe to say there are fanciers all over the world that have a similar small set-up,
> 
> without even seeing his loft, knowing him, knowing his ge0location you basically tell the guy his birds are going to die... ha cmon


I wouldnt say its dramatic, but common sense, irrelevant of any geolocation, or setup. If the living area is too small then illnes DOES become prevailent.
Birds living in a confined area are much more prone to illness & short life - just look around at ferals living under bridges & the number of ferals found that are ill, pushed/fall/knocked out of nests etc !!

With a bit of logic & common sense its not actually difficult to work out how much space each bird would realistically need just movement wise.
Taking an average pigeons wingspan of 18" (1.5 feet), if it were standing on the floor flapping, then mathematically it would need an area of 1.5 x 1.5 feet = 2.25 square feet.
Calculating it correctly as a circular area is PI x R^2 = 1.766 sq ft)
Taking the average of these 2 calculations = 2.008 sq ft per pigeon, which is why the recommended area per bird is 2 sq ft.

Any less than this is just inviting fighting & stress, and stress WILL bring on many illnesses in some birds, which in turn will be passed to others.


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## Hareloft (Jun 26, 2011)

ThePigeonKid said:


> How much more room?


I just meant they need more than old birds


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## Jamie Heuberger (Jun 2, 2012)

*pigeon*

Well without a permit this is as big as it gets. 12 x 8 and 7 feet high. I will not be filling my loft to the max. I guess 25 young birds in a 6 x 8 is about all I can hold..... Everyone tells me I will loose a few birds so am I better off getting 30 young birds due to losing a few.... 

Also like I said there will be a old and young section. The old section will be 5 x 6 due to a point of entry and small area for storage, feed. 

Plus 2 averys.....on front and I might put an extra on side. The 2 front ones will be 2 feet out 3 feet wide maybe 4 and 2 feet high....

I will have the trap inside it. And landing on front.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

25 birds is a big enough young bird team. But the important thing isn't necessarily the square feet in the loft. It's the amount of perches you have. One per bird, preferably extras. They will be more comfortable on the higher perches. And have good ventilation. An aviary is very important as well.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

It is better to have fewer than too many. What if it takes you several weeks or months to "lose a few"? These are your birds and your decision as to how you will house them, but your birds WILL be stressed if they become over crowded, stress will lead to illness, and you will be back here asking how to treat your birds before too long. Then you may lose more than a few.

You can choose between common sense, or taking your chances.


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## Matt M (Mar 2, 2011)

Jamie Heuberger said:


> The loft will be 12 feet wide and 8 feet back 7 feet high. There will be 2 sections 8 by 6.
> 
> I was thinking on 30 young birds to start in one section. Is that enough room.
> 
> Thank you


Without knowing your exact loft setup and your loft management practices, I think in general that 30 birds is just fine for that 8 x 6 space. Some guys with no loft management skills wouldn't even be able to 10 birds healthy in that much space if the loft was not dry, well ventilated and provided plenty of perches. So just have a common sense method and setup and you're good to go with your proposed number.


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## orock (Mar 28, 2011)

Well I guess my birds are overcrowded 64 in a 8/8 section. I will have to open it up when old birds season is over. I do have plenty of perches 76 total.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Could you provide a picture, ot two? Is there room for you to get in?


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

I knew I wasn't crazy ! Well, at least in regard to the thought we have two threads on the same topic. No wonder I felt as if I was repeating myself !


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