Designing a loft...divided vs. a single large area?

[moonshadow]

So, my horse is in the process of being sold and I'm starting a new job. That means I will have enough money to build my free-standing loft. So, it's time to start thinking of loft designs... I expect to have a pre-made shed altered by a handyman or custom built to my specifications. My best friends brother could make a palace of a loft for me if he has time, otherwise I will be hiring someone else to do the work. I decided to go forward full blast and that means not waiting for hubby to have time to do things.

So, if I built my own I would for sure have at least two sections to my loft for separation of breeders, etc. But, how important is that? There is a pre-built VERY nice loft in my area that only has one section. It's 8X8 and he's asking $800. I'm trying to rule it out, so I was wondering if anyone had any opinions on 1 section vs. two?

Also, I'm looking for a loft that is about 8X10 - 10X12. Should I tell the builder my loft needs and let him suggest buildings or should I have a loft design (blueprint) ready for him?

I just need to chat about this with someone and narrow down my wants/needs before talking to a handyman/builder.

Thanks.

[spirit wings]

get ideas from Lovebirds loft . Ideal to have three sections one for your ob flyers, one for the training ybs and a breeding section for the pairs you want to breed, also decide how many birds you want to have total and decide how big the loft should be, have to have aviaries as well. you can use the yb section(when birds are trained) to put hens in when you want to seperate them form the cock birds.

[Trees Gray]

I think it is also important to have an area to seperate your males from females, after the breeding season is over.

[moonshadow]

I really like LoveBirds Loft design... This one: http://lovebirdsloft.homestead.com/W...dLoftPage.html

How much do you think something like this would cost of I had someone else build it? I wouldn't need mine near as fancy, but I like the basic design of it.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by moonshadow

I really like LoveBirds Loft design... This one: http://lovebirdsloft.homestead.com/W...dLoftPage.html

How much do you think something like this would cost of I had someone else build it? I wouldn't need mine near as fancy, but I like the basic design of it.

how many birds do you want to keep? that will tell how big it is supposed to be for you.

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by moonshadow

I really like LoveBirds Loft design... This one: http://lovebirdsloft.homestead.com/W...dLoftPage.html

How much do you think something like this would cost of I had someone else build it? I wouldn't need mine near as fancy, but I like the basic design of it.

Just dropping in and right back out again.........WE built that loft and it was around $1500, but that was 4 years ago. My husband did all the work plus ran the electric. Things have gone up since then.
In fact, my husband is building some nest boxes right now for a guy in our club. He priced the lumber last Wed........went to buy it yesterday and some of it had gone up $1.00 a sheet...............
If you paid someone to do it, I expect it would cost quite a bit. YOU could probably build two for what they would charge you.

[moonshadow]

Thanks LoveBird. I'm in the process of talking to all kinds of builders. One guy said if I found a pre-built shed that he could put it in our backyard. Then he'd do the alterations to make it a coop.

I'm hoping to keep around 30-40 birds. I was saying 20 before, but I think 30-40 is probably a little more realistic.

[moonshadow]

Oh, and Lovebird? What if we didn't finish the walls inside quite as nice and made it more basic...do you think that would cut the price down at all?

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by moonshadow

Oh, and Lovebird? What if we didn't finish the walls inside quite as nice and made it more basic...do you think that would cut the price down at all?

Yea, lots of people don't finish the inside. We had just taken down all the paneling in our den and put up drywall, so my husband reused what we took down to do the inside of our lofts.

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by moonshadow

So, my horse is in the process of being sold and I'm starting a new job. That means I will have enough money to build my free-standing loft. So, it's time to start thinking of loft designs... I expect to have a pre-made shed altered by a handyman or custom built to my specifications. My best friends brother could make a palace of a loft for me if he has time, otherwise I will be hiring someone else to do the work. I decided to go forward full blast and that means not waiting for hubby to have time to do things.

So, if I built my own I would for sure have at least two sections to my loft for separation of breeders, etc. But, how important is that? There is a pre-built VERY nice loft in my area that only has one section. It's 8X8 and he's asking $800. I'm trying to rule it out, so I was wondering if anyone had any opinions on 1 section vs. two?

Also, I'm looking for a loft that is about 8X10 - 10X12. Should I tell the builder my loft needs and let him suggest buildings or should I have a loft design (blueprint) ready for him?

I just need to chat about this with someone and narrow down my wants/needs before talking to a handyman/builder.

Thanks.

A quick way to figure out how many birds a loft will hold......l
8 X 10 = 80 divided by 2 = 40. That's approx number. Of course, less is better and I wouldn't put MORE than that.
10 X 12 = 120 divided by 2 = 60
Even each section in a loft with more than one section can be figured like this.

[moonshadow]

So, I actually found someone who could build a loft using LoveBird's design. Is it okay if we use your design, Lovebird? I absolutely LOVE it. It seems about perfect for my needs and won't look bad as just a nice shed if we ever get out of pigeons. Your husband much be VERY good.

[spirit wings]

I did not finish the inside of my loft and it is just fine. I did the perches from Lovebirds idea and I really like them. here is a pic of the inside and what it looks like unfinished with the Lovebirds perches.

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by moonshadow

So, I actually found someone who could build a loft using LoveBird's design. Is it okay if we use your design, Lovebird? I absolutely LOVE it. It seems about perfect for my needs and won't look bad as just a nice shed if we ever get out of pigeons. Your husband much be VERY good.

Help your self! Wait till you see the set of nest boxes he's building. It's a 4 X 8 box with 9 nest boxes and doors. When he's finished, we're taking it over and just hanging it on the wall. I wish he had built three or four lofts before he built ours. Every time he builds one, he comes up with some new idea, which of course I don't have in MY loft.......LOL

[NitaS]

Love those whites! Do you find your birds poop a lot on the ones below?
I have wooden V-perches so the birds keep pretty clean, but the perches seem so flimsy and a number of them have broken. I was thinking of replacing the V-perches with perches like this.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by NitaS

Love those whites! Do you find your birds poop a lot on the ones below?
I have wooden V-perches so the birds keep pretty clean, but the perches seem so flimsy and a number of them have broken. I was thinking of replacing the V-perches with perches like this.

I have not had a prob with pooping on each other, I imagine it may happen sometimes, but my birds get a bath one or two times a week. the v perches look uncomfortable to me, but thats just me, these are easy to clean and really don't pile up with poo because it is off the wall 2 inches and most of the poopies fall to the floor.