# Moving my loft will birds stay



## Southwing (Feb 7, 2008)

Hello, has anyone had to move thier loft. I was going to get rid a lot of my birds until a club memeber said that he has moved his loft 4 times in the past20 years. and he has got most of his birds to move with the loft. he says that he would keep them in for 3-4 weeks turn them out and they would go back and see that the loft is gone then go back to the new place, has anyone had move a loft? im only moving a few miles down the road.


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

If your only moving a few miles down the road you have a great chance of breaking your birds in.They will almost definately home if they are homers.
I moved my loft 400 miles and kept my birds in for almost a year and still lost 30 birds only managing to break in 20 or so.
You will probably lose a couple but the majority imo will come back to you pending on how long you keep them and let them look around their new surroundings.


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## Southwing (Feb 7, 2008)

How long did you keep them in the new loft?


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

Twelve months but you are only moving up the road arnt you.I moved 400 miles and they had no chance of getting back and i couldnt retrieve them.You will get away with keeping yours in for 6 /8 weeks IMO.How far are you moving and have you an aviary so they can look around.


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## suepahfly (Mar 19, 2010)

I moved last year and brought the loft with me. I was told to wait 2 weeks but I couldn't and after only one week being locked up I only lost a couple. If I had it to do over again I would do the 2 weeks and start letting them out at dusk. I would also lock them out in the aviary for several days. But I still had good results.


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

Also dont feed them on the day of release.2 weeks maybe long enough but it wont harm there chances only better them to keep them in longer.The more they see of their new home the better.


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## Pigeon0446 (Apr 22, 2007)

There's a guy by me who bought a team of birds from sombody in the city. The reason the guy was selling them was he was forced by the city of New York to take down his coop. Well the guy out here bought the birds that the other guy had trained and ready for races. He only had them for 3 weeks and he started putting them in races and he clocked them not too good the first week but the second week he came in second with one of the birds who was only in his coop for 4 weeks. That one pissed me off because I was 3rd and all the time I spent with these birds since January and Febuary to get beat by a bird that has only been in the guys loft for 4 weeks was rediculous. He bought 30 and he still has 15 after flying a few races with them already.


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## bicklebok (Sep 29, 2010)

What you are saying happened to your friend has happened to me as well. I moved about 2 or 3 miles and I know that some of my birds went back to the old place, but then came back to the new home. 

i will say this though. I think it is always a gamble with any bird. I have made sure that my most valuable birds were kept as prisoners when I moved and I raised young from them before I ever let them out. If you value the birds you have to go with the most conservative method. Being impatient(which is what I did for years) can have severe consequences.


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## Alamo (Nov 22, 2008)

I have moved my lofts 2 times in the last 3 years...The first time,I made the mistake of letting the OB flying team out after 3 months at the new place..The 3 months was not the problem...The problem was >> I SHOULD HAVE HAD THEM DOWN ON EGGS or BABIES in the nest...This way,they would have alot to STAY FOR,at the new place...The 2nd time I moved,I had all of them on eggs/babies,and not one bird went back to the old locations...I also raced them up to 600 miles,and scored real well in both 500 & 600 mile races with 1,400+ birds in both races with lofts from 5 states.....So have them mated up,with eggs/babies in the nest,and everything will be OK.....When you let them out,either the hen or cock will be sitting on the eggs or babies...So you will allways have one of the pair inside the loft,taking care of the family....Good Luck...Alamo


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

Its always a bit hit and miss when they are sitting on eggs or babies, ive had them stay and ive had them go.Normally ive found one parent will raise babies on their own but eggs are abandoned after 3 days or so.


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