# Starting back up, New loft, What size team?



## paddlincwolfe (Feb 28, 2020)

After a life change hiatus, with divorce and a move to a new home, I am ready to get back into racing pigeons. I am looking to keep it relatively simple with a goal to build to a small widowhood racing team, a young bird team and a breeding loft for prisoners to build the stock.

I have ample space to build but i would like to build a small efficient loft with ample space for each bird. I am looking for recommendations about how many birds I should fly for a small racing team, and how many young birds I should keep. This will help me build my loft with appropriate sized sections.

I will be flying with a local club in northern Minnesota.

1) How many old birds should I keep and fl? double widowhood?
2) How many young birds should I anticipate flying.

My last loft, I had three sections and I ended up with too many birds. My new loft will be much more efficient and I want to keep my flock size small.

I look forward to your collective wisdom. I anticipate posting many more questions as I move forward.

Respectfully,
Cwolfe


----------



## wildcat hunter (Jan 17, 2014)

No matter, you will end up building another loft and then another one 
Unless you cull a lot the birds will continue to grow, ha ha - I learned that a long time ago. Ended up giving birds away every year just to keep the numbers down. 
Good luck


----------



## paddlincwolfe (Feb 28, 2020)

Yes, that's what happened last time. This time i am committed to cullig mercilessly and giving birds away. I really want to have a tidy healthy loft with numbers that are perfect for the cubic area. I don't need a big team. I want to race well, but this is a hobby for fun, relaxation and the beauty of watching birds fly. 

I am looking for serious advice for numbers for double widowhood old bird team and a young bird team for a smallish loft in a small club. I have plenty of space to build the loft. However, I don't want to spend all my free time cleaning and managing. In my experience, that is a distraction that decreases both both the health and quality of the birds (as a whole) and decreases my enjoyment of the sport.

So, what is the ideal old bird and young bird team of a hobbyist that wants to have a quality team and a healthy loft without going overboard.

Cwolfe


----------



## wildcat hunter (Jan 17, 2014)

I think 10-15 OB's and 20 YB's is ideal. Too many and its work - not fun.
For widowhood you need 20 nest-boxes for 10-15 birds. I would think 4-5 pairs of breeders is enough too. The loft should have lots of air space for the amount of birds in it ( I guess 8" X 8" is a good size for you and the birds. The breeder loft can be equipped to breed in individual pens about 4' X 4" and have an outdoor fly-pen for each section. 
MY Dream, ( I have too many birds )


----------



## Ladygrey (Dec 10, 2016)

I always enjoyed reading about this man.. having a big loft is not necessary all the time.. management is key. Here is the article. 

https://www.pigeonracingpigeon.com/whats-new/tiny-loft-fascinating-pigeon-racing-method/


----------



## paddlincwolfe (Feb 28, 2020)

Thank you. That was a good read. I want to find out more about the interior layout and flying approaches for small sized teams

Cwolfe


----------



## wildcat hunter (Jan 17, 2014)

Ladygrey said:


> I always enjoyed reading about this man.. having a big loft is not necessary all the time.. management is key. Here is the article.
> 
> https://www.pigeonracingpigeon.com/whats-new/tiny-loft-fascinating-pigeon-racing-method/


Yes, I like the video also. Wish I had many less pigeons, start small and "do not build onto the loft or do not build another loft. 
If you are just starting up and have no pigeons yet "And" live near Central Pennsylvania I can give you some birds.


----------

