# need help with loft(beginning my loft not any thing like those beginners loft)



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

hello everyone!!
i am starting a new loft @ my new place so need your help since it'll b the first loft tht i'll b building.

i have a 2000(approx) sq ft. backyard so i m confused how big should i make it and also i was thinking about one loft which will include a breeding station and different compartments for male flyer,female flyer and new babies.

eagerly waiting for your comment, help, advises.
thnx in advance.


----------



## Big T (Mar 25, 2008)

Two main questions; How much can you pay and how many birds you looking at keeping?

Plan on two square feet per bird. You nesting area can hold the male of female between breeding. so three sections, to include a young bird section. In your back yard south sun is the best, so if the front of the loft can face the south that is best. East or west is ok but never north. Birds need sunlight to stay healthy. My loft faces southwest.

Tony


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

well i have a budget like 800$ birds: i m lookin @ about 20 flyers fixed and breeders i havent decided how many i wanna keep but proly around 7 pairs. i guess.

thnx for the directional tip so watever i do i should make the front facing south.i will look into tht but what if i face it south and thts facing the boundary wall???


----------



## JaxRacingLofts (Apr 11, 2010)

Welcome to Pigeon Talk..Here are couple resources I think will help you get a good start:

Here is good step by step loft design.. 

http://www.redroselofts.com/starter_loft.htm

and a good resource site that covers wide array of racing pigeon topics:

http://pigeonracingpigeons.com/beginners-handbook/


http://pigeonracingpigeons.com/year-in-the-loft/
Good luck


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

thnx verry much jaxtech!

i'v seen the redrose loft but tht looks too small for me,i m lookin at sumthing with a lobby inside and different compartments to keep flyers highflyers and breeders. 
do u have any designs like tht????if so pls lemme know.


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

and also i m kinda worried about the flooring .i saw sum ppl put fence type material or like a strong iron net type thing,which is perfect to me but i wounder where can i get them from?? heres the pic.


----------



## Wingsonfire (Dec 22, 2009)

The flooring is called expanded metal and can be had at most metal supply company's or even look on Craigslist for it.. If you can find galvanized bar grating its pretty nice to, that is what I am using in mine, you will more than likely need to get it used as the stuff I have goes for around 20 bucks a square ft. new


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

20 bucks wo...thnx verry much i love this floor patern i hope its ez to clean and keeps the loft almost oderless!!!!
thgnx for the name i had no idea what its called i'll check on craigs list but just a thought where can i get it made or a galvanized new one????


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

and whats the availability ??? is it used in other purposes ??


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

cud anyone tell me what should i put on the base? i mean what cud go underneath the basic floor structure???


----------



## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

I would suggest you look at some builds in here on PT. Some have done start to finish with pics. I would look at the Wingsonfire loft for a nice starter loft. The loft I built is a nice starter loft 7x12. You can see it on my webpage. With 20 fliers fixed I would think 6 to 8 pair could raise you that many young. I would go at least three sections. I would think about a 6x20 loft would do what you need it to do. So good places to get ideas other than the redrose page would be the GHC website. It shows all the members lofts. Also Pipa.be is a good place. You can look at all the fanciers lofts in Europe. Marcel Sangers has some nice small lofts to look at. 

Ps. For all you building lofts, I saw the osb with siding on one side at lowes for $20 a sheet. Makes a much nicer looking loft than just the osb painted. That is what I used on my loft. Strong stuff.


----------



## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

Wood flooring works just fine. Not as easy to clean, but save you a few bucks. You can also make woods slat floors. check out Shady's build. I saw a loft made this way. He had some bantum chickens living underneath to clean everything up. Nice air flow.


----------



## GEMcC5150 (Oct 24, 2010)

You live in LA so that south facing is not so important with the 300+ day of sun per year. With 2000 sq ft you can do anything your money will allow. I just finished a starter loft that was finished in 3 1/2 week with lot of delays. I would think you might want to get your feet wet with something smaller first with plans for expansion. I know we are planning a second loft this spring but I want to spend 3 or 4 month with the first set of birds before I finish plans for phase 2. Just something to think about.


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

hillfamilyloft said:


> I would suggest you look at some builds in here on PT. Some have done start to finish with pics. I would look at the Wingsonfire loft for a nice starter loft. The loft I built is a nice starter loft 7x12. You can see it on my webpage. With 20 fliers fixed I would think 6 to 8 pair could raise you that many young. I would go at least three sections. I would think about a 6x20 loft would do what you need it to do. So good places to get ideas other than the redrose page would be the GHC website. It shows all the members lofts. Also Pipa.be is a good place. You can look at all the fanciers lofts in Europe. Marcel Sangers has some nice small lofts to look at.
> 
> Ps. For all you building lofts, I saw the osb with siding on one side at lowes for $20 a sheet. Makes a much nicer looking loft than just the osb painted. That is what I used on my loft. Strong stuff.


thnx verrymuch. i cudnt actually find GHC it gives me sum sorta industrial website....i like your loft a lot its pretty neat .i didnt know pipa has loft designs!!!! out of every one u liked mercel's loft??lol i will definately check em out. and so 6x20 is good for me u think?would i b able to have a little lobby type space with the 6 feet width?


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

hillfamilyloft said:


> Wood flooring works just fine. Not as easy to clean, but save you a few bucks. You can also make woods slat floors. check out Shady's build. I saw a loft made this way. He had some bantum chickens living underneath to clean everything up. Nice air flow.



thnx verrymuch wount the expanded metal floor b better than the wood one? like the picture i posted he put drawers so tht'll b ez to clean!!!


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

GEMcC5150 said:


> You live in LA so that south facing is not so important with the 300+ day of sun per year. With 2000 sq ft you can do anything your money will allow. I just finished a starter loft that was finished in 3 1/2 week with lot of delays. I would think you might want to get your feet wet with something smaller first with plans for expansion. I know we are planning a second loft this spring but I want to spend 3 or 4 month with the first set of birds before I finish plans for phase 2. Just something to think about.


thnx for your advice but it kinda seems like the space i decided to make my loft is east facing....ya i was thinkin about gettin a small one first but then after wards i would have to make another one or expand the old one but the thing is right now i m free for a month and a half but after tht i will b extreemely bz for the rest of the year so it'll b hard for me to expand it thts y i wanna get over with it right now !!!


----------



## GEMcC5150 (Oct 24, 2010)

If you can put in a south facing window that works for light. My 2nd Loft will have to face north so a window is the only way. Good luck Keep PT post with pictures as you build there is a lot of people that will help you all along the way.


----------



## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

airdrawndagger said:


> thnx verrymuch wount the expanded metal floor b better than the wood one? like the picture i posted he put drawers so tht'll b ez to clean!!!


It might in your humid climate. The birds will like the wood better, the metal will be better for predators. 
Do a search on the Gulf Coast Homing pigeon club.


----------



## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

http://gulfcoasthomingclub.com/lofts/lofts.shtml

here is the link.


----------



## GEMcC5150 (Oct 24, 2010)

hillfamilyloft said:


> It might in your humid climate. The birds will like the wood better, the metal will be better for predators.
> Do a search on the Gulf Coast Homing pigeon club.


Gulf Coast...... He lives in Los Angles Calif. Very dry


----------



## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

thought it was Louisiana sorry


----------



## hillfamilyloft (Jun 22, 2005)

I would face it to the south/east and leave one side open. Give them plenty of air. GEMs loft would be a good example.


----------



## airdrawndagger (Nov 23, 2010)

hillfamilyloft said:


> http://gulfcoasthomingclub.com/lofts/lofts.shtml
> 
> here is the link.


thnx i will check it out but i m in california though its really dry weather here..if i hav wood i wud probably b putting moisturizing lotions to make em moist lol...


----------



## FeathersAloft (May 27, 2010)

I know I faced my lofts more to the west because of the layout of my property and where I needed to place the buildings to keep them from under trees.

But now I wish I had faced them more to the south!
As we build our next loft (for a racing team) we are looking at options to at least have aviaries on the south side!


----------

