Loft Advice

[learning]

Sorry guys, I am in a holding pattern right now due to schooling and other expenses. I should be able to get the siding up next month. Believe me, I wish I had more to share with you.

Patience is a virtue...I guess!

Dan

[mr squeaks]

We can be patient, Dan...AS LONG as there is a GRAND OPENING RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY AND TOUR as a reward for our PATIENCE...

Wishing you all the best! You have most certainly stirred OUR interest!

[learning]

Believe me, after two years of work, you can bet that there will at least be plenty of pictures taken and shared when all is said and done. This teaching full time, getting your masters degree in the evenings, raising two boys, raising two dogs, and trying to be some semblance of a husband to my wife is getting in the way of finishing this thing!

That's o.k. though. From the beginning I told myself that this project had to be last on the priority list...both from a time standpoint and financially. Right this second all of the above is demanding my attention but, come hell or high water, it will be done by this fall!

Thanks for all the continued kind words and curiosity. I promise I will share what I have as it gets done.

Dan

[george simon]

HI DAN, When is the loft warming party I will fly in to attend. LOL Keep up the good work doing it right the first time is the only way to go. .GEORGE

[hillfamilyloft]

Maybe a few of us can help with some birds to fill the loft. Maybe Warren can cut you a deal and maybe the rest of us can send you out a kit of youngbirds for next year. After you get finished with the loft you may not have too much money for birds. I am always looking for a good loft to test my birds.
Randy

[learning]

Randy,

Thanks a bunch for the offer. You are too kind. I have already contacted a very reputable breeder that I trust implicitly for my initial stock. I am really interested in the genetic side of things so I have a plan layed out that I am going to try to follow as closely as I can. I am going to try to keep the bloodlines pretty close, at least initially, and see what I can do with it. Once I get this family up and going I will certainly always be on the lookout for great crosses to better my colony. I may just be giving you a call at some point!

Please do not be offended if I turn your generous offer down at this point. I just need to keep it really simple to start with, from a genetic standpoint at least. I gotta admit, I aint too bright sometimes so I need to go nice and SLOOOWWWWW!

Thanks Again,

Dan

[hillfamilyloft]

Just out of curiosity, what bloodline are you starting with. My birds are mainly Vic Miller birds crossed with Engels, original Janseen blood, and Ganus stock. The Miller bloodline is blood down from the Verbart 46. Said to be the best bird Klak ever bred, via an egg. I started with 6 pair. I have found two distinct set of nest mates that I am founding two lines from. They are mainly Janssen bloodlines. Some blood I find in their pedigrees are down from Piet Valk, Jos Thone, Bob Kenny, Vic Miller, Ganus, etc. You are wise to be selective in the birds you aquire. You will soon have many birds. I have only added two birds to the original 12 of my breeding stock. I added an Ikon/ Magic Star grandson and a bird from Scott McCallister the 2000 Snow Bird Winner. I have two nest mates to the Vegas Classic 2004 8th place bird. I aquired birds the same way that you are going to. All but two of the original twelve were of similar bloodline. Out of the 14 birds that brought in blood to my stock I had four sets of nest mates. The nest mates were also related in some way. Well heck this is the loft section, I better stop talking genetics.

Randy

[youssef401]

thanks very good

[mr squeaks]

Originally Posted by hillfamilyloft

Just out of curiosity, what bloodline are you starting with. My birds are mainly Vic Miller birds crossed with Engels, original Janseen blood, and Ganus stock. The Miller bloodline is blood down from the Verbart 46. Said to be the best bird Klak ever bred, via an egg. I started with 6 pair. I have found two distinct set of nest mates that I am founding two lines from. They are mainly Janssen bloodlines. Some blood I find in their pedigrees are down from Piet Valk, Jos Thone, Bob Kenny, Vic Miller, Ganus, etc. You are wise to be selective in the birds you aquire. You will soon have many birds. I have only added two birds to the original 12 of my breeding stock. I added an Ikon/ Magic Star grandson and a bird from Scott McCallister the 2000 Snow Bird Winner. I have two nest mates to the Vegas Classic 2004 8th place bird. I aquired birds the same way that you are going to. All but two of the original twelve were of similar bloodline. Out of the 14 birds that brought in blood to my stock I had four sets of nest mates. The nest mates were also related in some way. Well heck this is the loft section, I better stop talking genetics.
Randy

LOL...gee, Randy...what's a LOFT without BIRDS??? AND, what are racers without background discussion???

Your comments didn't bother ME at all!

Shi

[learning]

Originally Posted by hillfamilyloft

Just out of curiosity, what bloodline are you starting with. My birds are mainly Vic Miller birds crossed with Engels, original Janseen blood, and Ganus stock. The Miller bloodline is blood down from the Verbart 46. Said to be the best bird Klak ever bred, via an egg. I started with 6 pair. I have found two distinct set of nest mates that I am founding two lines from. They are mainly Janssen bloodlines. Some blood I find in their pedigrees are down from Piet Valk, Jos Thone, Bob Kenny, Vic Miller, Ganus, etc. You are wise to be selective in the birds you aquire. You will soon have many birds. I have only added two birds to the original 12 of my breeding stock. I added an Ikon/ Magic Star grandson and a bird from Scott McCallister the 2000 Snow Bird Winner. I have two nest mates to the Vegas Classic 2004 8th place bird. I aquired birds the same way that you are going to. All but two of the original twelve were of similar bloodline. Out of the 14 birds that brought in blood to my stock I had four sets of nest mates. The nest mates were also related in some way. Well heck this is the loft section, I better stop talking genetics.

Randy

Randy,

I have been fortunate enough to find a gentleman here in the states that has developed a highly inbred colony of pigeons and has had some real success with them. Most of his family is based on top notch Dutch and Belgian stock. For now, this man has requested to remain annonymous but he has been a tremendous help to me in every aspect of the sport. Maybe in a few months I will be free to "reveal my sources" as it were, but for now I need to honor his request. Sorry to be such a tease!

Dan

[SmithFamilyLoft]

Originally Posted by learning

O.K. folks here goes. I think a little background is neccessary here. I am starting back into racing after about a 30 year hiatus from the sport. My goals are not just to become a successful flyer but also to become a skilled and consistent breeder of the highest quality birds possible. Right now, I am at the construction stage for my loft. The plan below is the result of about a dozen other attempts. My lot is layed out in the middle of dense woods so I have had to remove about 20 trees. The lot is sloped so I will be building the whole thing on a platform. It will be about 12 inches off the ground in the back and about 7 feet high in the front. The roof will be white translucent roofing to maximize the natural light. Ventilation will be from grated panels in the floor and vents out the back of the roof. I will have exhaust fans in the ceiling to increase circulation as needed.

The "L" shaped design is because of the shape of my lot. I don't have a lot of available space on the sides. The large breeding area will hold up to 24 pairs of breeders. The three individual breeding pens will be for special pairs that I must be sure there is no accidental out breeding. I could also use these areas for issolation or quaratine areas if needed. Next to the individual pens is an area for the breeding hens during the off season. All of these breeding areas have access to and aviary that is 4 feet wide and 6 feet high. The racing side consists of the widowhood hens section followed be the actual widowhood loft that will have 24 boxes. Next comes a section that I am reserving for some white birds as my wife is interested in getting into the dove release business for weddings and funerals and such. The young birds get three sections The outside two so I can separate the sexes and the middle section as a "playpen" so I can use it as and extra motivator as the season goes on. All of the racing sections have access to a 4 foot wide landing board/aviary. Some folks call this a California Style landing board. There is an 8 foot deck that goes around the front of the loft.

Now, before everybody says I am crazy and that this is way overboard, let me explain. Once this is built, I will not be in a position to add on to anything. Local ordinances dictate that I am allowed only one additional out building and that it can not exceed 900 square feet. Because of this I am forced to plan ahead for all of my future needs now. I realize that this loft will sit mostly empty for several years as I build my own family of birds, but I really have no choice. O.K. now with all that it mind, go ahead and chew it up for me. What do you folks think I could do better or different to maximize the health and well being of my birds? I would really appreciate any advice here. Like I mentioned earlier I have already been through about a dozen drafts so one or two more won't hurt!

Thanks In Advance,

Dan
Attachment 3793

Attachment 3794

OK Dan,

Look when you first started this thread ! Today this thread is One Year Old so you have been at this for a year now.......when is this 'little project' of your's going to get done ? And when are you going to break this 'vow of silence' concerning your foundation breeders ?

I don't want to be the one to spill the beans, but I think you tipped your hand in this link 'Breeder Recommendations' and you did discuss White Dove's in your loft design :
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showth...545#post198545

[learning]

Originally Posted by SmithFamilyLoft

OK Dan,

Look when you first started this thread ! Today this thread is One Year Old so you have been at this for a year now.......when is this 'little project' of your's going to get done ? And when are you going to break this 'vow of silence' concerning your foundation breeders ?

I don't want to be the one to spill the beans, but I think you tipped your hand in this link 'Breeder Recommendations' and you did discuss White Dove's in your loft design :
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showth...545#post198545

Like the old commercials used to say..."only my hairdresser knows for sure!"

Dan

[learning]

O.K. Guys and Gals,

As I type this there is a siding crew outside putting the siding on the loft! I am so excited I just had to write this down. As things progress I will post some updated pictures. With any luck this thing will look like an actual building by the end of this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Dan

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by learning

O.K. Guys and Gals,

As I type this there is a siding crew outside putting the siding on the loft! I am so excited I just had to write this down. As things progress I will post some updated pictures. With any luck this thing will look like an actual building by the end of this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Dan

WOO HOO!! WE are WAITING on pictures. I know that you must be so excited. Good luck and we'll be watching..........

[learning]

Don't look now...but there's siding on that there loft!

Attachment 6695

Attachment 6696

More to come!

Dan