# Open loft okay?



## Armanitvrs (Apr 29, 2012)

I was thinking about possibly building a "loft". Are open loft designs okay? It seems to me like all the lofts I've seen, minus one, are entirely closed in (with a flight pen) but I was thinking of maybe just a three sided "loft", where three sides are solid and the fourth is wire? And depending if it's okay, perhaps a completely open one? As in just a roof and a floor, and the "walls" made of wire. Any ideas?

Thanks,


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## birdofthegauntlet (Jul 10, 2012)

How is your climate? An open loft would not be good if it snows a lot. Pigeons can take the cold but not a draft. 
Now, I have a loft that is partially open. In the winter we slide in plywood panels to close up the wire, and it works out great, because here in MO it can get hotter than h*** in the summer. 
Right now it is a torrid 113 degrees. All my birds are out loose now, in the shade under our tree and lying in their bath pan. 

Anyway, the all-open loft would make a great summer fly pen when you can't let the birds out.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Armanitvrs said:


> I was thinking about possibly building a "loft". Are open loft designs okay? It seems to me like all the lofts I've seen, minus one, are entirely closed in (with a flight pen) but I was thinking of maybe just a three sided "loft", where three sides are wood and the fourth is wire? And depending if it's okay, perhaps a completely open one? As in just a roof and a floor, and the "walls" made of wire. Any ideas?
> 
> Thanks,


I like those..but it gets too cold here for me here in va to have one. If you wanted one then I would plan to put plastic or boards up for the winter winds when the cold weather hits.. this type loft is great for people who live in climates that are warm all year. protection from cold wind is important and closed lofts stay dryer as rain sometimes does not fall straight down so you could get rain in there as well.. where you live I would proabably go with a more traditional loft and have "windows" with 1/4 inch hardwire on them for ventilation in the summer but have doors on the outside to close them off when winter comes...open back up in spring.


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## Armanitvrs (Apr 29, 2012)

..........................


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## Armanitvrs (Apr 29, 2012)

I posted the previous post at the same time both of you did, lol.


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## Armanitvrs (Apr 29, 2012)

It's just a lot easier and cheaper to make them open. So that's why I was considering it. One guy up here has them three sided.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Armanitvrs said:


> It's just a lot easier and cheaper to make them open. So that's why I was considering it. One guy up here has them three sided.


what does he do in winter? If you did do this where you live I would face it south with direct sun and put it againts a south facing wall of a barn or house to keep the draft down at least.


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## Armanitvrs (Apr 29, 2012)

I didn't now that the pigeons would be very affected by the cold. I think I would be fine with the three sided, all open probably wouldn't be too good though from what I'm hearing.
Thanks for the replies,


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## tipllers rule (Aug 2, 2010)

depends on climate and predators such as raccoons if you have a warm climate and no predators go ahead


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## Armanitvrs (Apr 29, 2012)

Well..... It's hot in the summer and gets pretty cold in the winter, but then ther's the plastic idea. Predators, no problem with them till we started keeping the dog tied up. Needless to say, she's loose again.


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## birdofthegauntlet (Jul 10, 2012)

Your weather sounds like ours. We have this ingenius loft which we made almost entirely out of wood palletes (however you spell that) and a few sheets of corrugated aluminum, which we picked up from a scrap yard for free. The bottom part we closed in with mesh and metal bars. The top part we closed in with more wood. It is under a tree and is almost like air conditioning when it is 100 degrees outside, in the winter we put up boards along the mesh area and it is sealed well and fairly draft-free. Made a great loft, now it is used for mostly chickens, though. 
Surprisingly it doesn't look as bad as you'd think it would.


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## Armanitvrs (Apr 29, 2012)

Honestly, I could care less about looks. I have a yard full of individual breeding pens that are built sort of like mentioned above, this from here, and that from there. But hey, It's free.(although my mom barely puts up with these small ones that can be taken to the dump in a pickup, not sure about a mega one though?) lol


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## birdofthegauntlet (Jul 10, 2012)

I just mound all my scrappy lofts together into a big pigeonville... currently there are three buildings, and always adding on! 
I have a big open fly pen for each of them, some are shared by two lofts. It's kind of a work of art, the loft-ville. Like a big something you might go to art museum and puzzle at. Ha ha!


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## Armanitvrs (Apr 29, 2012)

lol. Yeah, I just hope I can get started soon expanding my own "pieonville"


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

This was what I made for my 1st loft at my previous house










I can't find a picture of the 3 sided loft I had.

This is what I had for my Fantails










When I moved, I made this temporarily for my fantails










I had to cover all of these in the winter, I used heavy gauge clear plastic.

This is what they all have now...










I cover the flight cages in the winter.


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## Armanitvrs (Apr 29, 2012)

Okay, and you're in Maine, so I should be okay with an open one here. Especially if using the plastic in winter. Thanks,
BTW, I like your lofts, nice and simple.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Armanitvrs said:


> Okay, and you're in Maine, so I should be okay with an open one here. Especially if using the plastic in winter. Thanks,
> BTW, I like your lofts, nice and simple.


You should be ok if you face them South and cover them in the cold weather to keep the wind/cold draft and 'cross draft' out, but make sure you have ventilation. I leave about 5 inches open at the top and about 3 inches at the bottom on the south/south east sides. Our worst wind is from the North, so that side is completely closed up. The building has peak vents. We get temps down in the single numbers and wind chills below zero in the winter.


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