# one pair "loft"



## minister man (Mar 13, 2012)

I have read the posts on here about building lofts. I will eventually build a redrose starter loft for the young birds and to fly from. 
I will be starting with two mated pairs of white homers, with the idea of "release doves". I am working on building 3x3x3 lofts/cages- one for each of the breeding pairs. If I put a Shelf across the back for them to sit up on, and keep their poop from falling into the nest bowls that are below the shelf. That should be work? right? There would have to be a trough for food that I can fill from the outside......once the squeakers are weaned from the parents they would be removed from the parents breeding loft, to the flight loft. 

What would you do different?


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## minister man (Mar 13, 2012)

So I didn't get any answers on this, but I have some pairs of white homers ordered for this weekend, and I am trying to get ready for that. At their current house they all live I in a flock, so I can start them that way here. They are all yearlings. I know they will have to be prisoner birds, at least until after they have raised a few rounds of young. So they need an aviary. BUT, I would love to house the pairs separately to identify parentage of the babies. How do people house individual pairs? 

I don't know how long it will be before there are young, so I have to start getting ready immediately, if they have to start training by 5 weeks. I found these plans on this form and I am thinking of building one of the kit boxes like is on the bottom of the page. It says it is good for 10 young birds. I would like to get an opionion with that will be good for my flying team? thanks for the help. It is the one called "Shafer style lean too loft." that I am thinking of. 

http://www.pigeon.org/pdf/REDBLUFFLOFTDESIGN.pdf


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

I don't have any answers I'm afraid as mine are house pigeons atm but will have an aviary soon - I won't fly them though but will be interested on how you get on. Good luck with your plans, I hope someone will be able to guide you and please update us with how it all goes.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

In a loft the birds should each have 2 square feet of floor space in order to be happy and healthy. Crowding will bring on stress and illness.


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## minister man (Mar 13, 2012)

Jay3 said:


> In a loft the birds should each have 2 square feet of floor space in order to be happy and healthy. Crowding will bring on stress and illness.


Thank-you, at that rate a pair needs 4 square feet which is 2x2. How high would that pen need to be? I saw one on youtube that was a cage with a wire front.... there was a plywood shelf, and the nest bowl was on the floor under the plywood shelf. I just couldn't figure out how big they are. I think I would build them inside so that if they flew out of their cage they would still be inside. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L89vUww9wRQ


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Most will give them nest boxes that are about 24 inches long, about 16 inches front to back, and about 13 inches high, and they are all in the loft. With 24 inches long, that gives you room to add a second nest bowl at the other end for another round of babies. Because they often like to start a new nest for more babies when their first babies are 2 or three weeks old, this gives them the needed space for that, while caring for the babies they already have. A way to close the box, or use a front is helpful to keep them in when needed.


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## minister man (Mar 13, 2012)

Do they live in those cages? or are the fronts left open so they live in the loft and only nest in the cage? I was thinking I was going to lock them in.......once pigeons mate, will they breed a pigeon that isn't their mate? can you be sure of parentage?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, it's the nest box. They are let out together in the loft. I don't breed, so don't know what they do. Once paired, maybe they just lock them up till they lay eggs. Then let them out again. Then you know whose eggs they are. Wish a breeder would come on. I just know the nest boxes take up less room then separate cages that you are going to keep each pair in. Of course if keeping them in for longer, you would need larger cages. Seems keeping them in till eggs are laid would work.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I don't normally have problems with my birds mating with other mates. You usually only have to worry when you have single birds. Mated hens don't usually mate with the other males.


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## White Homers (Sep 22, 2016)

I have my nest boxes in my loft and when I want a certain pair to mate up I lock them in their box until they are mated. They will use that box to raise their young and will defend it against all other birds. When birds are mated they will usually stay together I never have a problem with that. It is also allot less work having them in the same loft then having separate cages. I raise all my birds together and never have I had a problem doing it this way. I also let my adults out with my youngsters when they are first let out and find that the young birds learn the ropes much quicker than when I used to let the young out by themselves. I have even had older birds go after young birds that got a little rambunctious and flew too far the first couple of days and bring them back.


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## minister man (Mar 13, 2012)

My Birds have arrived, and I learned that the fellow that brought them to me has kept pigeons since 1968. One year after I was born. He trains and flies his, and said he is all for helping people get started...... He said to put the birds together in a loft with an aviary and let them breed.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you put them into the loft, they will pair up and breed. Each male needs a nest box, and there should be more perches than there are birds.


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