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Author Topic: Pigeon Loft  (Read 8868 times)

Offline Pond Creek Farm

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Pigeon Loft
« on: October 21, 2008, 10:17:09 pm »
I need to build a better loft.  I have a smaller one that I would classify more as a cage it is long butonly about 2 feet high.  I have seen some plans of red rose lofts, and they seem easy enough to build.  Do any of you have any plans you like better?  I am not an expert with pigeons and really only need utility birds to train my dogs.  (I want to put them in the fields and let the dogs find and flush them.  Then I would like them to simply fly home to their loft.)  I would not mind some of those birds that flip around too.  IT would be fun to watch them fly around the farm.

Brian

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #1 on: October 21, 2008, 10:48:14 pm »
 Well, My loft is 8X16. Brian and Jodi have pigeons too. Theres all kinds of ways to build them But My concern is how you're gonna make the birds stay on the ground until the dogs shew them up and away. Once you open the basket (or box or whatever) the birds will take to flight. My loft is set up for racing but I dont race them any more.Brian IS racing his birds, and Jodi keeps pigeons more like i do but her loft isnt designed for racers.(As far as I know, jodi :) ) Mine and dads first loft we built together was just a little bigger than a closet....You could walk in, turn around, look at the birds and walk out. There were also nest boxes for about 8 pairs of birds. Now, I have a loft with enough nest boxes for 44 pairs of birds( this doesnt mean I have that many breeding pairs using the nest boxes though...Sometimes they just raise youngsters right on the perches or on the floor and ignore the nest boxes for that matter. Just remember, the more space the birds have, the more poop you have to pick up..The more poop left on the floor, the more chances of disease.( I lost about 25 to 30 birds recently, and I think that was due to too much poo for too long of a time). Also, the bigger the loft the more you have to chase the birds to catch them.
I'll post a pic of my loft, inside and out, if I can remember tomorrow!..Just dont pay any attention to the poo on the floor. At least its only an inch deep!

your friend,
john

Offline Frantz

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #2 on: October 21, 2008, 11:19:53 pm »
Here is my loft, they are easy to build. Lots of ideas on the web. Mine is 8x20 and heavy. I need to move it this weekend so I know it is heavy.


Frantz
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Offline Romahawk

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2008, 01:03:18 am »
WoW, aren't those birds a bit large for racing?
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Offline poka-bee

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2008, 01:12:08 am »
Maybe pigeons are different in Utah? :roll:  My loft used to be where I raised cockatiels.  Now it's handi-capable for Angry Earl my gimp park pigeon.  Brian gave me 2 racers, they are beautiful.  I don't race but love watching them fly around the property.  There is 1 male that lives on top of the loft & booga-booga's Earl.  J
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Greywulff

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2008, 05:19:21 am »
Frantz that is hugh, kool do you let them free range.

Offline Jim134

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2008, 11:57:53 am »

            FRANTZ......

 For racing or for eating  :? do't look like pigeons in MASS.
 


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Offline Pond Creek Farm

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2008, 12:32:13 pm »
Very cool Frantz.  I do not envy you moving it.
Brian

Offline Frantz

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2008, 10:46:19 pm »
Did I forget to mention that I have all my chickens in there???? Sorry about that. I have the two sides separate for breeding etc. I have a large flight pen off the one side as I will hatch quail, or pheasants sometimes and I put them in the side that has access to the flight pen.
On a side note, did you know that quail and chickens will live in perfect harmony together untill the chickens get hungry :evil:. Yep found that one out the hard way. Was in Russia last year and left the birds in my younger brothers capable hands. Came back and my brother says to me " I totally forgot to feed your birds" I went out expecting all to be lost, but the chickens were totally fine.... No sign of the 25 bob whites though except for a few bones here and there. :shock: :shock:
Such is life's little lessons I guess.
F
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2008, 11:42:18 pm »
Building pigeon loft is easy, they are kept in any everything from a rabbit hutch to a mansion.  I have 1 loft that holds 4 pair of birds, open in the front (screen), 4 nest boxes on 1 end, and perches for 12 birds on the opposite end and the back wall.  It more like a large rabbit hutch--2 feet off the ground with #1 hardware cloth floor and screen, 5 ft by 3ft.  It is a good idea perches and nest boxes than you have birds or pairs.  Pigeons like to pick their own spots. 
If you make perches just make a gridwhere each section is 10 inches square..that's 3 perches per 3 linear ft (wood width firgured in).  My young bird racing loft has 48 perches, 6 wide and 8 high.  I lodge up to 36 birds in it.

BTW, did you know that the Romans used pigeons as the original welfare system.  They used to build aviaries in the center each town or village, the size of the aviary depended on the size of the community, where they lodged pigeons.  Those who were hungry could catch some and eat them without peril.  That's one of the reasons Squab is much more highly thought of, food wise, in Europe than here in the states.
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Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2008, 09:26:58 pm »
 I'm still working on the pictures....My computer is acting up and at the moment I'm on Janelles computer. Mine wont get to IE or Mozilla firefox for some reason...I wonder if its because I was playing with my webcam last nite?
If I can get online here in awhile I'll take a nite picture of my loft and birds.

your friend,
john

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2008, 10:16:38 pm »

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2008, 10:26:43 pm »
I see a few grizzles  but mostly White Bandits or White crosses.
Did your father actually race the white birds?  Usually those are the 1st to be taken by the hawks so I've obtained some white bandits to breed as skimmers (Hawk bait) so my Janssen's, Sion's, Grizzle's, & Sam's have a better chance of surviving the training tosses.

I would be interested in obtaining some outside stock of grizzles and whites if you want to sell some.  Ship at 28 days when they are pretty much grown with just a few yellow down feathers left.  Let me Know if you're interested, I'll pay S&H.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2008, 04:03:38 am »
Just send a couple of bands Brian ( I mean if you want them banded) Then we'll go from there. Dad didnt fly the whites much but I do remember on a really lousy weather weekend, One of the whites won a 600 mile race! Like you, dad thought the whites attrected hawks so he didnt care about color, he only wanted performance!
 Oh,...I wont sell them to you...Dad never sold or bought a bird in his life, and I prefer to folow the same footsteps. It seems, best i remember, that pigeons were shipped by bus back then.
Just get back to me!
your friend,
john

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2008, 10:28:24 pm »
They need to be banded at 7 days do you have some on eggs now or should we figure for after the 1st of the year when I'll be using 2009 bands?  If you have some 20 days or younger I can ship you a couple of over sized bands, I want to use the 1st few pairs as breeders anyway so even though the oversized bands aren't AU approved they will still let me maintain records.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #15 on: October 27, 2008, 07:18:30 pm »
Brian, What I meant to say is that I'll give you some.
But, at the moment, I'm not getting any eggs..I think it might have something to do with the Paramoxyvirus I was treating recently..The medicine might have to wear off or something.
 The banding is up to you. You might want the AU bands just for your record keeping. I knew about the 7 day banding time, Thats why i figured you'd probably want to send me the bands.
Oh yeh, if you read up on Paramoxyvirus virus, there is no cure, only vaccination. Dad reminded me of when we were vaccinating the birds about 30 years ago...If you go this route ever, just be sure to draw back after you stick them...If you mainline a bird it'll drop dead in your hands.
 I'll PM you when I have babies happening and we'll go from there, hows that?

your friend,
john

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #16 on: October 27, 2008, 10:49:17 pm »
Sounds good.  The birds not laying probably has more to due with finishing their moult than medical treatments.  Usually don't get eggs or young during Oct & Nov because of moulting.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #17 on: October 31, 2008, 04:40:22 pm »
yeh, I bet your right....Im starting to notice flight feathers being used in the nest bowls now. Right after I typed to you I went out to feed the birds and i do have some birds laying now.Just a few but they'll be spittin' 'em out soon!

your friend,
john

Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #18 on: October 31, 2008, 07:58:47 pm »
yeh, I bet your right....Im starting to notice flight feathers being used in the nest bowls now. Right after I typed to you I went out to feed the birds and i do have some birds laying now.Just a few but they'll be spittin' 'em out soon!

your friend,
john

I'll send you some oversized bands after they hatch, the bands can be put on between 10-21 days of age instead of the normal 7 days.
3 bands for 3 birds.  Price the shipping for 3 birds at 28 days of age.  Probably should go next day priority to keep the postal service sane.
I'll send you a check for the shipping when I send the bands.
Life is a school.  What have you learned?   :brian:      The greatest danger to our society is apathy, vote in every election!

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: Pigeon Loft
« Reply #19 on: October 31, 2008, 10:33:05 pm »
Sounds good Brian!.
 Ive never sent or recieved birds in the mail...Will they accept hard cardboard in the mail, or should I make a crate? Better yet, I'll call Monday and ask the post office.
I'll get back to you soon!..I'll get a little more background information on the birds for you too.
your friend,
john

 

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