# Johnny K's Speedshop - My racing loft design



## johnnyksspeedshop

Im looking to build a new, bigger loft next year. It still wont be enormous, but I will be building it so it will be easy to disassemble. I designed what I was picturing in my head, and would just like some opinions on it, pros/cons/etc. It will be divided into 4 sections. Two 4'x4' YB sections in the middle with V-perches only. And two 4'x8' sections on either side with widowhood nestboxes, where I can race OB, breed and separate the sexes. Here is the design.








And this view just shows where the front vent under the eave above the landing board would be, in the back toward the ground would be vents to let the air in.


----------



## Crazy Pete

I think you should make them all 4 x 8 if you only make them 4 x 4 you should only have 8 birds in each section. if you have 5 pair of breeders you couldn't even have 2 full rounds as that would be 20 birds and you don't want to crowd them.
Dave


----------



## Rafael/PR

really nice design there , love to use Google sketch up and it free to down load not to many people know about that, depending the size you could have 3 section there


----------



## Rafael/PR

4by 4 is too small
if i could redo my loft im building i would have made it a 8 by 12 , less cutting ,plywood come in 4 by 8 feet either use 1/2 thickness or 3/4


----------



## johnnyksspeedshop

Thanks for the input guys. Pete, im actually planning on leaving the sliding door between the YB section open all the time. The extra wall space that the sliding door will slide between separating the two 4x4 sections will give me some more space for perches without over crowding. So from the top it will look something like this [T]. I think the wall in between will prevent commotion and help tame/calm the birds. And then, I will have another partition just "in case".


----------



## johnnyksspeedshop

Rafael/PR said:


> 4by 4 is too small
> if i could redo my loft im building i would have made it a 8 by 12 , less cutting ,plywood come in 4 by 8 feet either use 1/2 thickness or 3/4


Overall dimensions including aviary will be 8'x16', as three 4'x8' sheets of plywood will be used as the floors. One will be split into two sections each being 4'x4' and the two others will be 4'x8' for widowhood. Thats the plan anyway. My whole current loft is 4'x'4, and is too small, but my birds are very healthy. Like everybody, I just want a bigger loft


----------



## Rafael/PR

the time you put nest box and perches it will no longer be 4 by 4 and god know what also , love your design but not the size you pick , check mine out http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/album.php?albumid=1582&pictureid=20373 and this one http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/album.php?albumid=1582&pictureid=20351 mine is again a 10 by 8 by 7 1/2 broken down to two section one for my show and the other for my racers


----------



## Rafael/PR

make sure you pick the 3/4 thickness for your floor , check my album out http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/album.php?albumid=1582 i also build the PVC aviary


----------



## johnnyksspeedshop

Very nice designs you have there! Sorry, its hard to explain the size of this set up, no nest boxes will be in the 4 x 4 sections, just V-perches which will still leave plenty of space. The nest boxes will be in the two 4x8 sections. Anyway, my designs are to scale, so the loft in comparison to the lady inside it should resemble the size in reality.


----------



## johnnyksspeedshop

Very nice album Rafael and some great craftsmanship you have. This is my current loft:
















As you can see, very small. The birds stay healthy in it, but it would be easier with a bigger loft.


----------



## Rafael/PR

keep that loft for racer or tipplers !!, i remember you now , lol , im the one with the roof panel problem on deciding which one to pick, love that loft , if i get really deep in to racing i want to build a small one for just the best bird i have , and i will copy from your design since i live it alot


----------



## johnnyksspeedshop

Thank you, I will keep it, but probably only use if for a few droppers or something since its so small. Did you go with the Ondura or plastic?


----------



## Rafael/PR

I went for the Ondura of course! even my uncle like it alot and he thinking of putting the Ondura panel on his wooded home in Puerto rico because 90% of the home here now are made of concrete block , it does really looks good im planing to use it for my other Avery and one for my fighting cock cage( my area here we put boxing gloves on our birds not knifes spurs) read this http://www.goofball.com/rants/Boxing_Gloves_On_A_Rooster here they are fighting with the glove on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHxUaIhmwq0


----------



## johnnyksspeedshop

Great to hear, it is very good stuff! Interesting game birds, i've never seen the boxing gloves on the cocks, just the spurs, but thats a nice way of testing them out without being cruel.


----------



## Rafael/PR

i love all my birds and dont want to see them hurt, are you going to put on a clear panel on your new loft your building? so some sun will get inside , that is what im planing to do with mines loft , wait to you see what i have plans for the nest boxes ,im keeping it as a secret for now , once i finish i post a picture of it


----------



## johnnyksspeedshop

Im not sure yet, there will be windows on each side, but i'll probably be putting one above the landing board as well. The reason im hesitant to use clear panels on the roof, is that it might be hard to cover if I decide to fly the darkness system.


----------



## Wayne Johnson

the horse shoe design looks nice but ends up with a lot of wasted space and material. You can make the loft bigger and use almost the same amount of material by filling in hte front part where you have the flight pen. Just attach the cage to the front of the loft when done.


----------



## johnnyksspeedshop

Hey Wayne, thanks for your input. I will be making this loft to be a "bolt together" so it can easily be moved. The framing and plywood will all be screwed, but each wall, the roof and the floors will hopefully bolt together for easy assembly and dis-assembly. There fore, the reason for this design is I want a big landing board, and a nice aviary (alot of weight for a easily removable piece). So this design will allow the aviary to rest on the supports attached to three walls of the loft, and I will probably only need one bolt to secure it in place that way since the weight of the aviary will be doing most of the work. Im not to worried have that space also, three 4'x8' floor plans are plenty of space for me.


----------



## Rafael/PR

that is a nice idea and placement of the windows you have there for your design


----------



## APF_LOFT

very nice design all you need build it.


----------



## johnnyksspeedshop

APF_LOFT said:


> very nice design all you need build it.


Thanks, and a place to build it


----------



## Rafael/PR

well what ever you build it on make sure its a area that clear not next to no trees you will be inviting trouble if you do


----------

