# Newbie/Red Rose Loft



## Realnoisy (Mar 13, 2013)

Hello everyone! I'm very new to Pigeon Talk and have been lurking around the forum for a few weeks. 

As a young man around the age of 12yrs old, I was fascinated with pigeons. I was arrested (taken home to my parents) a couple of times for trying to crab net them under overpasses on the I-45 freeway while dodging 75 mph traffic. Then I got smart, and taller, and learned how to stretch walk between the rafters till I could get to the nests at the pillars of the overpasses. I'd use binoculars for weeks and watch for the squabs to reach age and at night I would collect them. I'd raised them and let them fly open loft and sometimes if my family drove to Galveston, we'd take a few and toss on our way home. Never lost any and always fun to see that they beat us home. It was so neat to see my flock flying around the neighborhood. It was a great past time!

I've always wanted to raise pigeons again but I never had the opportunity....until now. I have recently built a Red Rose Loft (attached photo) and have a few pairs of Homers. Hopefully someday I can afford some good birds and get into racing.

This is basically to tell everyone hello and I really enjoy the Pigeon Talk Forum.


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## 2y4life (Apr 5, 2010)

Man, nice work...wish I had your handyman skills or that of your father's (smile). Enjoy PT, it's a great site


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Welcome to PT. Great loft! Enjoy, and thanks for sharing.


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## sport14692 (Jan 3, 2011)

Welcome and great looking loft


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

welcome . are you in Lancaster pa ? the reason i ask is Lancaster city is the red rose city


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## Realnoisy (Mar 13, 2013)

Jason Heidlauf said:


> welcome . are you in Lancaster pa ? the reason i ask is Lancaster city is the red rose city



Thanks everyone for the welcomes and comments! 

I live in Houston, Texas. I built the loft using the "Red Rose Starter Loft Plans" at http://www.redroselofts.com/starter_loft.htm I'm no carpenter....I'm a computer guru by trade. If anyone decides to make one of these lofts, let me know because Step 2 is a bummer to try to figure out.

I still have to cut out my air vents for better air flow during these Texas summers and make nest boxes (I'm using cardboard boxes at the moment and have a pair sitting on eggs in one box.

Again, thank you for the warm welcomes and compliments!


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

ok now i get it .that's not the name of your loft it's the name of the loft kit.


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## HmoobH8wj (Apr 7, 2011)

should take some picture inside. very nice job.


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## Realnoisy (Mar 13, 2013)

A photo of the inside right after I finished the build. I'm building breeder boxes and will make this my racing loft. The cardboard box rack is 4ft long. I can put another 8 boxes on the same back wall.


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## Jason Heidlauf (Apr 2, 2012)

that is nice


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## TwinTurboPigeon (Jan 22, 2013)

Realnoisy said:


> A photo of the inside right after I finished the build. I'm building breeder boxes and will make this my racing loft. The cardboard box rack is 4ft long. I can put another 8 boxes on the same back wall.


Wow. The inside looks great! This might sound ridiculous but do they poop on each other on the T-perches? I wanted T-perches but they look a bit inefficient as perches....


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

cool idea on the nest boxes... !  looks good. hope to hear more of your pigeon adventures.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Those nest boxes are a great idea.


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## likebirds (Oct 22, 2012)

Nice loft and good looking homers. Sounds like you caught the pigeon bug at a early age. There is no cure for it but you learn to live with it!


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Very nice & welcome to PT.


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## Realnoisy (Mar 13, 2013)

Thanks everyone! 

I got the idea for the nest boxes from the link I found on PT....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvVaOWnaX8w. 

As for the T-Perches, I haven't noticed any poop on my birds yet but it's something I'm going to watch for. I threw those perches together because I got my birds before the loft was completed. 

Also, that photo was taken about two or three days after I place the birds in the loft. I currently use Oil Dry on the floor but will probably remove the wood floor and put in heavy duty diamond shaped wire to help with ventilation and health of the birds. Funny, I learn these things after the fact! 

The wire on the windows I picked up from the warehouse at the company I work at. They were tearing down the warehouse shelves and those are the wire racks that go on the shelves. They fit perfect.

The trap is 2 4" PVC pipe.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

One question about the flooring. Are you somewhere that the temperatures stay warm enough year round? And don't worry about learning stuff after the fact. That's a big part of our hobby. At least it seems that way!


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## Realnoisy (Mar 13, 2013)

almondman said:


> One question about the flooring. Are you somewhere that the temperatures stay warm enough year round? And don't worry about learning stuff after the fact. That's a big part of our hobby. At least it seems that way!


Almondman, I live in Houston and it's hot and humid most the time. In the winter, freezing to us is 65 degrees -


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## Angelhologram (Mar 24, 2013)

About how much did you spend in materials?
I really like your loft. We will be building something bigger soon. We currently have 2smaller lofts and a Great Dane wire crate for when they come inside for the night( yes I know they are spoiled but I'm in Florida and worry too much about predators at night). I'm trying to get an idea as to how much it will cost for different size lofts. I'm extremely mechanically inclined so te actual building process shouldn't be too much of a problem.


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

Realnoisy said:


> Almondman, I live in Houston and it's hot and humid most the time. In the winter, freezing to us is 65 degrees -


When can I move in? I live in Wisconsin and woke up to 31 degrees with snow on the ground!


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## derekio (Jan 20, 2012)

I built and have one of those lofts. Big mistake in it is the roof vent. rain pours in, and so does snow.


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## Realnoisy (Mar 13, 2013)

Angelhologram said:


> About how much did you spend in materials?
> I really like your loft. We will be building something bigger soon. We currently have 2smaller lofts and a Great Dane wire crate for when they come inside for the night( yes I know they are spoiled but I'm in Florida and worry too much about predators at night). I'm trying to get an idea as to how much it will cost for different size lofts. I'm extremely mechanically inclined so te actual building process shouldn't be too much of a problem.


I spent around $400.00 give or take a little. Study the plans and print out the materials list. To save money, a person could probably find materials for free.


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## Realnoisy (Mar 13, 2013)

almondman said:


> When can I move in? I live in Wisconsin and woke up to 31 degrees with snow on the ground!


That sounds so nice!


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## Realnoisy (Mar 13, 2013)

derekio said:


> I built and have one of those lofts. Big mistake in it is the roof vent. rain pours in, and so does snow.



I have read about this problem and some people take gutter material and put just over vent blocking the rain but allowing ventilation. 

Right after I built mine we had a major thunderstorm for a couple of days but I had not one leak. Mine faces the South. If I had rain blowing from the North sideways, it would most certainly get into the loft. If it ever does, I will make adjustments.


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## eddiebrown (Jun 23, 2011)

You remind me of myself; good luck. Your bird and coop are looking good!


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## Realnoisy (Mar 13, 2013)

eddiebrown said:


> You remind me of myself; good luck. Your bird and coop are looking good!


Thanks eddiebrown!


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