# Building a mobile loft...



## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

Hey everyone...finally school has started, two a day practices are over and I have got settled into a good rhythm in the class room, also got me a place that I can keep birds out of the city limits. Question is, I know how to build a loft, its easy enough, however I am wanting to build a loft that is pretty mobile as I don't plan on spending my entire life at this school district, I'm young still only 25, so I could end up lots of places. Any ideas on how to go about making the loft mobile?

I have thought about just building it on a 5th wheel flat bed trailer, that would be plenty mobile, but then I must be sure to have a truck with a 5th wheel hitch to move it. I was thinking about maybe trying a latching mechanisms for the walls and roof instead of actually completely attaching them with screws/nails. Anyways, I figured I would ask and see if anyone had ever tried this before and how they went about it, how well it worked, etc.


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

Maybe build it on 4X4 inch runners. Then 4-6 foot wide-10-16 foot long-that way you could Slid it up on a trailer that could carry a Car or something like that. Look at some Trailers. You could then pull it with your car.
My loft is 6 X 16--4 suctions. Its 5' 6" high at the front----6' 6" high at the rear.
send me an E-mail addy and I'll send you a picture
[email protected]


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## The_Dirteeone (Apr 18, 2010)

You could build a redrose type loft,that is 4x8 or 5x 10,and use a trailer later to move it.i have 2 5x10s,although I dont plan on moving them it could be done with a winch and a trailer.You could put skids permantly longways under the floor joists tapered on the ends for easy wenching,They move portable buldings like this every day.?If you want to build a bigger one it could be moved by a rollback truck for a couple of hundred bucks.Then you could build it 8 feet wide max.Just remember if you plan to move it make the fllor and walls very sturdy.


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## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

Maybe a better idea would be to find an old school bus that is still in running order and convert it into a loft. Then if you change jobs you could just drive it to your new location.


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

grifter said:


> Maybe a better idea would be to find an old school bus that is still in running order and convert it into a loft. Then if you change jobs you could just drive it to your new location.


I actually saw a loft that was made out of an old camper. The guy had it backed into his yard and on blocks, but told me he could tow it with only minor effort. I just wondered what the birds would think of their home driving down the road.


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## cbx1013 (Aug 12, 2009)

Okay...

Since I don't know, or know any better- I'll ask.

Do the birds home to the specific loft, or the specific loft at a geographical point?

If I moved my loft 10 miles away, would the birds fly back to my old home when tossed? Or, after a time of orientation, would they fly to my old loft at the new location?

Inquiring minds and all... Thx!

Don


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Maybe you can think like those WWII army and navy pigeoneers where they have those mobile stuff that they tow with their trucks. I think someone posted those pictures before here.


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

Good ideas, thanks guys. Especially like the bus idea!


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

Matt, 

Since you won't me moving the loft much, why not consider the fifth wheel idea? You would only need to hire a truck to move the loft in the event you move. Finding a truck driver to move the trailer shouldn't be to difficult.


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

How does pigeons home to mobile lofts ?? May be in the sea there is no other place to land and based on that mark painted on the ship they decide to land there when in vicinity, how does it work on the land ? or does it work on land ?


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

I think the military figured that one out. They slowly move the mobile loft and retrain the birds. The birds remember the look of the loft so they land there. I tried moving my loft once just to try the idea from one section to another, but still backyard to backyard. Most get it. Some don't and wont even land on the loft roof. Some even land on the loft's original location. That was funny. They land and wondered where the loft went! So I suppose it was feasible if they move the mobile loft slowly. I don't remember where I've read it, but the military were successful moving the loft couple of miles from the original location. The article was probably from some military archive.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I just went on a ferry that goes from Delaware to New Jersey. There were pigeons living under the ferry where you put the cars They flew out and routed then came back and entered the ferry while we were moving the whole way there. It was cool. I guess you can't get more moble than that.


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## First To Hatch (Jul 19, 2009)

Matt Bell said:


> ...two a day practices are over...


Got to love those two a days... lol reason why I didn't do football this year. Sorry to get off topic.


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## crosbeem (Sep 20, 2010)

*Military lofts*

I seem to remember reading that the military trained their pigeons to fly a 3 point system as opposed home from a selected race point. The pigeons associated each point with a particular function like food. I am not sure how successful it was and would have required regularity.


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## Flapdoodle (Nov 8, 2009)

Here is a loft where the sides bolt together and is some what mobile. I don't know anything about it. I just found it searching for loft ideas and thought I would pass it along. 

http://www.skylakesions.com/Portable%20Loft/New%20Loft%20.htm


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

My flying loft is portable where the sides are bolted together. You can look on my web page. I also posted the build on here. You will need to do a search for the link to the page. The roof and floor are in two sections. It should be movable using a small trailer. The loft is 7 x 12


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## Guest (Sep 23, 2010)

Flapdoodle said:


> Here is a loft where the sides bolt together and is some what mobile. I don't know anything about it. I just found it searching for loft ideas and thought I would pass it along.
> 
> http://www.skylakesions.com/Portable%20Loft/New%20Loft%20.htm


that and hillfamily lofts portable lofts are both great starter/youngbird mobile lofts to copy from so either wouldnt be a great loft to begin with and use if your not sure your going to stay where you are  I loved them both and would have no problem building an using them for my birds


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