# Belgium Drop Trap Measurments



## kbraden (Mar 27, 2010)

I can't find the answer anywhere, can someone tell me the measurements (slope) for the drop trap? Just need the end measurements & how far apart the openings should be between dowels?
THANKS!


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## Pip Logan (Oct 6, 2009)

I think you need the place where the birds drop in to be 4inches apart. . . . I think.


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## swagg (Feb 13, 2011)

I made my drops 4.5 inches apart. As far as the slope i just picked an angle that looked good to me and went with it. I can measure it up tomm for you if ya want.


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## fireman (Apr 2, 2011)

What is a Belgium Drop Trap?


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

I know there are some very good posting in here about Belg traps. I put my dowels 4" on center.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

This might help. The angle is 45 degrees. Don't remember how tall the opening are. I can measure tomorrow. Pics next post


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

pics of my trap.


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## pigeon is fun (Sep 6, 2010)

fireman said:


> What is a Belgium Drop Trap?


try to google it "belgium drop trap pics" and you can see how its look like.
hillfamily loft have some nice photos.


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## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

This year will be my first batch of young birds through the traps, so don't know how well they work. The board slides in and out to open and lock the trap. If you look at the finished loft on my webpage you will see that the aviaries are the landing boards. I am going to make a small landing board painted a bright color like Randall Berkey. This is so they will land directly near the trap. The other surface will be wire. Hope they will prefer the board.


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## Wayne Johnson (Oct 1, 2010)

They see yellow, orange, red best. According to research on their eyes. fluorescent Orange would be great.


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## czarkos (Feb 4, 2010)

i have a 6x12" hole for my trap with a board over it at a 45 degree angle i have one dowel in the center. so if you have a trap wider that about 12" i would space dowels every 6" or so


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## kbraden (Mar 27, 2010)

Thanks for the info, will get to building something this weekend.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

For the truly cheap at hart, I have managed to use *twine* to replace the dowels a drop trap. This is not a "safe" thing and I am using on an exit drop (birds drop out of the loft) but it works. Key thing is that you need to go narrow as the twine will move around a bird allowing them back in.

Not sure that really adds anything, but it was fun to play around with.


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## Pip Logan (Oct 6, 2009)

Jaysen said:


> For the truly cheap at hart, I have managed to use *twine* to replace the dowels a drop trap. This is not a "safe" thing and I am using on an exit drop (birds drop out of the loft) but it works. Key thing is that you need to go narrow as the twine will move around a bird allowing them back in.
> 
> Not sure that really adds anything, but it was fun to play around with.


You got a pic?


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

Not handy. I have the best intentions to take lots of pics but keep getting caught up with... birds. I'll try to get some tonight.


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## Pip Logan (Oct 6, 2009)

No worries I was just curious what that would look like


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## czarkos (Feb 4, 2010)

Jaysen said:


> For the truly cheap at hart, I have managed to use *twine* to replace the dowels a drop trap. This is not a "safe" thing and I am using on an exit drop (birds drop out of the loft) but it works. Key thing is that you need to go narrow as the twine will move around a bird allowing them back in.
> 
> Not sure that really adds anything, but it was fun to play around with.


or you could use pieces of a wire coat hanger for bobs


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

Note that the first two are not the same trap set up. We were flying the YB so I had to get the open picts from the OB side. These are the flight lines from "the Castle" in the photo link below. 

YB side. Birds are out so the exit cover is down. Simple hardware cloth with a bend and furring strip for weight. Note that the lower window section is up to let birds in and landing board is out. 









This is the OB side in "hang out" mode. Exit cover open to allow birds to hang out in the flight line. Think built in settling cage. If you look hard you can see the twine. Note the lower window section is closed and the landing board is in. 









Here is a close up of the "upper mount/cover hinge". Simple 4d common nail bent over to make a hook. 









Here is how I did the lower mount. Simple hole in the wood. That is a 1x4 furring strip. Cheap and easy to find. I think 90% of the loft is furring strip these days.









Click the photo link below and then on the album "The Castle" to see more.


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## HmoobH8wj (Apr 7, 2011)

Here mine.

Trap


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## Nekker (Belgium) (Apr 28, 2011)

As i am from Belgium, and my mother-language is Flemish. Try in google: "Spoetnik" it's the flemish word for it. ;-)


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

Nekker (Belgium) said:


> As i am from Belgium, and my mother-language is Flemish. Try in google: "Spoetnik" it's the flemish word for it. ;-)


Also known as a Sputnik trap in Russian.

I built one for my rollers, and I used a forty-five degree angle. I used boards rather than dowels, as they were more effective at keeping the birds from exiting through the trap. The stalls were four inches wide by seven inches tall. If I was building for Homers, I would go four and a half inches wide, but keep the same height. I have also built an "inverted sputnik" trap. There is a rectangular hole in the side of the kit box with the forty-five degree tops on the inside. I would provide pictures, but I sold those two kit boxes.  Time to build another!


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## Nekker (Belgium) (Apr 28, 2011)

ptras said:


> Also known as a Sputnik trap in Russian.
> 
> I built one for my rollers, and I used a forty-five degree angle. I used boards rather than dowels, as they were more effective at keeping the birds from exiting through the trap. The stalls were four inches wide by seven inches tall. If I was building for Homers, I would go four and a half inches wide, but keep the same height. I have also built an "inverted sputnik" trap. There is a rectangular hole in the side of the kit box with the forty-five degree tops on the inside. I would provide pictures, but I sold those two kit boxes.  Time to build another!


It's something I noticed, in the states they use always wood for making the "Spoetniks". Here we always use Spoetniks made out of aluminium or plastic. Maybe this has something to do with the weather?


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

Nekker (Belgium) said:


> It's something I noticed, in the states they use always wood for making the "Spoetniks". Here we always use Spoetniks made out of aluminium or plastic. Maybe this has something to do with the weather?


I have seen aluminum sputniks for sale on some supplier's sites. I think that the aluminum ones are fine, but I can't make an aluminum one myself. Wood I can work with.


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## Nekker (Belgium) (Apr 28, 2011)

ptras said:


> I have seen aluminum sputniks for sale on some supplier's sites. I think that the aluminum ones are fine, but I can't make an aluminum one myself. Wood I can work with.


In other words: We Belgians are lazy...


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## NayNay (Mar 16, 2011)

.....or, some Americans actually like to build stuff. We are not all credit card crazed mall shopping zombies.


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

NayNay said:


> .....or, some Americans actually like to build stuff. We are not all credit card crazed mall shopping zombies.


Never saw a Sputnik trap at the mall before.


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## Nekker (Belgium) (Apr 28, 2011)

ptras said:


> Never saw a Sputnik trap at the mall before.


Belgium is really that small, in every province we have a pigeon shop. It's never a long drive if you consider that you can drive right in to france or germany in 1 hour 45 minutes...  So it doesn't have to come via mail...


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## Thunderbird Racing (Jul 24, 2010)

Nekker (Belgium) said:


> Belgium is really that small, in every province we have a pigeon shop. It's never a long drive if you consider that you can drive right in to france or germany in 1 hour 45 minutes...  So it doesn't have to come via mail...


I wish there was a pigeon shop here in MO I could drive to, and pick up a sputnik. I'd take 2


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## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

Nekker (Belgium) said:


> Belgium is really that small, in every province we have a pigeon shop. It's never a long drive if you consider that you can drive right in to france or germany in 1 hour 45 minutes...  So it doesn't have to come via mail...


It appears that Belgium (11,787 square miles) is slightly larger than the size of Massachusetts (10,555 square miles) where I live. The closest pigeon supply house to me is in Connecticut, about a three hour drive. Fortunately, most farm stores and feed & grain stores carry pigeon feed so I don't have to drive far. With the price of gas these days, I don't mind paying for shipping of other items, but I still prefer to build my own if possible. The only things I buy are nest bowls, water fountains, dummy eggs and medications. Everything else can be built.


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## NayNay (Mar 16, 2011)

ptras said:


> Never saw a Sputnik trap at the mall before.


If they did have cool stuff like that at the mall, I might actually waste some time and money there! 

But, every few years when I am somehow forced to go there, all I see are the zombies buying overpriced clothes and shoes, plus a bunch of other crap they don't need- and can't afford.


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## Jaysen (Jun 21, 2010)

NayNay you might be going to the wrong mall. The one I frequent has grains, tools, various hardware and ...

My daughter just informed my that the TSC, Feed store, and Lowes complex does not qualify as a mall.


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## NayNay (Mar 16, 2011)

Jaysen said:


> NayNay you might be going to the wrong mall. The one I frequent has grains, tools, various hardware and ...
> 
> My daughter just informed my that the TSC, Feed store, and Lowes complex does not qualify as a mall.


 She is right - Thank God!  - you have been spared from zombieland. I do go to those kinds of places tho, could wander the aisles for hours!  Oh, and esp the recycled building supply place- my imagination runs wild there- so much cool stuff!


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