# Building small loft



## mryl (Oct 11, 2001)

I would like to build a small loft with my children (8 and 11), starting with 2 birds (Homers)no more than 8 birds for now, can you give me basic requirments? We're just starting out.


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## bigbird (Aug 19, 2000)

Here is one idea, others will have posts for additional ideas for sure.
Build the loft about 8'x8' or 10' x 10' with another outside screened area for flying say 
8' x 8' or 10' x 10' using 1 inch chicken wire. Inside on one wall place your nest boxes, a continous perch running fully across the opposite wall with some glass or wire on the same wall for light. One end has the door. The other end has the seed barrels and also the feed and water area.
The floor area should be kept dry at all times if possible so it should be a wood floor or a raised screen floor which will allow all pigeon dropings to fall down below.
There are many other ideas as to how to make pigeons lofts, sometimes the best design will depend upon what type or kind of pigeons you want to raise. Racing pigeon lofts are often different than show pigoen lofts. I raise show pigeons so that is all I know.
Good luck,
Carl


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## mryl (Oct 11, 2001)

Thank you, what do you think of this idea? We have a large never used screen porch on our deck, my husband would like to attach a loft to the front of that (about 3 feet off the ground) , the back of the loft would have a door we could open to let birds in from loft to the screened in room. We were thinking of that back wall being 1/2 door, 1/2 screen. We could cover screen with plastic in the winter, the kids would have better view of birds etc.
Any comments?

[This message has been edited by mryl (edited October 15, 2001).]


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## bigbird (Aug 19, 2000)

Your idea sounds fine. The floor of the loft could be screen, to allow for droppings to fall down below onto a cleaning shelf. The nest boxes should be on the back wall,up off the screen floor, about 18" wide, 12" high, 12" deep, with nest bowl. A flat shelf or perch (3/4" x 3") should be placed out toward the front of the loft, positioned at the center, running from left to right across in front of the screen and the door.
The birds can fly from the next box to the perch and back. Food and water is placed under the nest boxes, against the back wall, out of the way of droppings.
Regards,
Carl


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## mryl (Oct 11, 2001)

Thank you!


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