# loft to build



## sunwater (Sep 2, 2010)

how does 8'long 4' wide 6'1/2 hight


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## maniac (Sep 27, 2009)

I guess it depends on how many birds you plan on having. If I remember right, a loft of those dimensions will house about 20 birds. A lot of us have lofts of that size based on the Redrose Starter Loft plans, many pictures and plans of which can be found on this site.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

more like 16 birds....


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## sunwater (Sep 2, 2010)

ok ty its going be my first loft


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## avian (Sep 6, 2010)

not more than 20


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

Contact the AU for their design for the "learners" loft. It is very compact, portable, and able to handle about 6-8 birds (they say more but I felt is was small). While I like the rosewood designs, once I had birds I discovered that it was not the "best" option for me. So I rolled my own. But I would not have known what to build without actually having "birds in hand". 

I wish I had started this way. I think my already good experience would have been even better. 

Just a thought.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

avian said:


> not more than 20



8 x 4 = 32 / by 2 = 16.. 16 birds. I have an 8 x 4 section in my loft for young birds, and can not imagine 20 birds in there... 10 is the most I even put in that space.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Jaysen said:


> Contact the AU for their design for the "learners" loft. It is very compact, portable, and able to handle about 6-8 birds (they say more but I felt is was small). While I like the rosewood designs, once I had birds I discovered that it was not the "best" option for me. So I rolled my own. But I would not have known what to build without actually having "birds in hand".
> 
> I wish I had started this way. I think my already good experience would have been even better.
> 
> Just a thought.


Everybody starts out with the red rose design including myself but i would never build another one. I think my new one is a lot nicer than the old one.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

I never actually built the redrose. But I stole many aspects when converting a small shed to a flying loft. Now that we have some more experience with living birds I see several "gotchas" that would have driven me nuts had I followed the designs. 

As to the 8x4 sizing, I wouldn't do more than 10 myself. if they are captives. I would consider 16 if the birds were flying but I would not let those 16 have nest boxes and would discourage mating (good luck). If this will be a prisoner loft and you are going to do < 10 birds you will need to spend a bit of time with layout _before_ you put birds in. Get your boxes in, spare perches, feed trays, water, nesting material bin, etc. Use screw for anything you are mounting. Now practice cleaning. If you can't pretend well, get some moist clay and a toddler and turn them loose. Once you see what you dislike, move things around then try it again. once you have birds in place you will do this a few more times with the addition of the unhappy birds helping you hurry up. 

On a more serious note, I find my 8x4 tight. I like it that way and I the birds seem to like it. But I already know several changes that need to happen. Most of them intended to make it a little less tight.


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

spirit wings said:


> 8 x 4 = 32 / by 2 = 16.. 16 birds. I have an 8 x 4 section in my loft for young birds, and can not imagine 20 birds in there... 10 is the most I even put in that space.


Thats if you go by square footage...some people go by cubic foot, if so 8X4X6.5=208. Then 208/9=23. 20 is right in the middle of 16 and 23, I think thats a pretty good number.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

Matt Bell said:


> Thats if you go by square footage...some people go by cubic foot, if so 8X4X6.5=208. Then 208/9=23. 20 is right in the middle of 16 and 23, I think thats a pretty good number.


I agree....20 with just perches and no nest boxes in a 8x4x6 is just right but some people like a little more breathing room in there lofts and I can't argue with that.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

I like the design of the red rose loft but even if you start with 10 birds next year you will have 30 and so on. I dont think it would coast much more to make it 10 or 12x 6x 6 1/2 then with controlled breeding that should last for several years.IMO
Dave


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## JRNY (Nov 17, 2009)

Go for a 8 x 6w or 5w x 6 1/2. I have an 10 x 4 x 6. I wish I would of gone wider. Feel too cramped when I go in. With an 8 x 4 I feel too closed in especially with birds flying around. When you look at it. Four feet is not that big.


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## sunwater (Sep 2, 2010)

ty you for the helping info im going to start with a pair and the place where they fly is bigger then the loft


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## sunwater (Sep 2, 2010)

will have to see if site will let me put up pic of loft


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Matt Bell said:


> Thats if you go by square footage...some people go by cubic foot, if so 8X4X6.5=208. Then 208/9=23. 20 is right in the middle of 16 and 23, I think thats a pretty good number.


like said on another thread the floor space is what is important... a bird can not fly in air space all the time... to make use of it.... so that is why they go by actual floor space.... there will always be a good excuse to house more birds than what is healthy for them...


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## maniac (Sep 27, 2009)

I feel a little fuzzy with the suggestion that only the floor space is important ... If that's so, why bother with perches, with cubbies or shelves. My birds spend a minimal amount of time on the floor and flight is not a factor other than a method of getting to point B from point A in the limited space.

The cubic usage is probably a more reasonable and sound approach to housing.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

maniac said:


> I feel a little fuzzy with the suggestion that only the floor space is important ... If that's so, why bother with perches, with cubbies or shelves. My birds spend a minimal amount of time on the floor and flight is not a factor other than a method of getting to point B from point A in the limited space.
> 
> The cubic usage is probably a more reasonable and sound approach to housing.


I agree You sure can't put 20 pigeons in a loft that is 4x8 1' high and if you could then should be able to put 160 in a loft 8' high.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

oh lordy! just do an 8 x 4 in real life and anyone with common sense would know how many birds can be comfortable and healthy in it.. no more than 16 per the math..and in real life.. more like 10.. because I have an 8 x 4, and have used it... one persons over crowding must be anothers every one is comfy cozy... I dunno? might as well add the aviaries too... ok add more bird now...


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## maniac (Sep 27, 2009)

I am not picking on the amount of space you feel comfortable housing pigeons in Spirit. I just think that cubic footage is a better tool to determine the maximum amount of birds. For instance I think a 4x8x8 (256'cu) can hold more birds comfortably than a 4x8x6 (192'cu).

If you extropolate the square footage thing to an extreme, a nestbox holding 2 adults, 2 almost fleglings and 2 squabs would require 12'sq. I know, I know


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

where abouts in canada are you? its not everyday you find a canadian on here!


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

As he said he is only going to have one pair to start with so the size of the loft he wants to build should be good for quite some time.
Dave


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## sunwater (Sep 2, 2010)

Gurbir said:


> where abouts in canada are you? its not everyday you find a canadian on here!


bc vancover Island


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