New Fancier, New Loft

[NavyDT]

Hello All,
My name is NavyDT and i am new to this whole thing. i am in the U.S. Navy ( guess you would never have figured that out ) and because of such navy housing does not allow you to build "permanent" buildings in your back yards. so i decided to look around the net for a suitable "Small" loft. well most "small" lofts were still to big so i decided to draw up a composit plan and start from there. i will post the plans and the building progress, please feel free to leave me some ideas and comments.
Very Respectfully,
NavyDT

Plans:

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...2008_00000.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...2008_00002.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...2008_00001.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...2008_00003.jpg

Progress Pictures:

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030166.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030167.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030168.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030169.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030170.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030171.jpg

[TAWhatley]

Hi Navy and Welcome!

Your loft is looking good! More folks will be along to post!

Thank you for joining us!

Terry

[Margarret]

Navy,

Welcome to pigeon talk. Your portable loft design is great. Looks like you are coming right along on the construction. How many birds do you plan to house in it?

People are always looking for ways to build small or portable lofts, as not everyone lives where they can put in a permanent construction. Thank you for sharing your ideas and design with us.

Margaret

[spirit wings]

hello navy! first, thanks for your service to our country....your loft is a good idea, thanks for sharing the pics....would like to hear more of your story and see the progress!

[NavyDT]

I plan on housing 1 or 2 breeding pairs and possibly up to 6 flyers. when i reach my number of 8 to 10 i will pull the devider and the top shelf out and the whole design turns into a single room and/or can be converted into 2 separate sections for young and old birds. ( take the screen windows out of the breeding section, add a bob trap and a small wire avery but keep the vertical devider ) thanks again for reviewing my post, and nice to meet you all :P
Very Respectfully,
NavyDT

[re lee]

Well welcome to this pigeon talk site. And am glad you found a way to keep a few birds and still serve this great country. Enjoy the birds

[MaryOfExeter]

Welcome to Pigeon Talk Navy!
From the sounds of it, you're planning on getting homing pigeons then? Or are you getting a different flying breed?

Good luck and enjoy the birds. I'm sure you'll really like them, no matter what kind you get

[NavyDT]

Hello all,
alright i went over to a fellow fancier's house today to check out his loft and set up, and i have to say WoW, it makes me proud to see people who take such great care of their lofts and animals. i did get a few ideas on how i should proceede with my own build. i would like to give a personal thanks to pegasus for offering me some bobs, and on a side note the pigeon community has to be one of the nicest groups of people i have ever ran across on the internet, from day one i have got nothing but support and its been awsome. anywhoo, to answer some of the questions, i will be getting some homing pigeons (aka racing pigeons?) but i dont think i will really be able to race with such a small kit ( is that the correct term?) i really just want to get a feel for the care, breeding and training aspect so when i do get into a situation to where i can race/breed i can do so with confidence. anyways, enough blabber, here is the progress i made today ( very minimal, sorry )

Added wire to the last 2 open areas in the back
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030172.jpg

added the top section, so when i add the removeable partition, it completes the wall
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030173.jpg

thanks again all,
Very Respectfully,
NavyDT

P.S. I have duty tomorrow so i will be home very late if at all, but ill keep you all abrest with progress

[Pegasus]

YOU'RE WELCOME NDT

Yup that's how I started from small coop to a bigger one, also from 2 pigeons to 47 (as we speak), Im sure they will be breeding and producing more and more, it's just hard to let go young babies sometimes but I have to deal with it so my loft wont get (way) too overcrowd...Now the only birds I keep are the ones who goes in fast, come home from single toss training from miles away, and the pair who produce good strong intelligent breed: for short good performance (shh! like the Lumachi pair from CA), I miss that lady (CANT REVEAL HER NAME lol) who send me that pair, too bad I havent seen her signing on here, or maybe Im not on when she is on but I do appreciate it a whole lot...They are worth it...

[NavyDT]

Hello all,
well, i had duty today so i got home late and really didnt get much done, i got one side put on, and put in the removable top floor, and removable devider.

this has probably been covered and is like a matter of preference, but what would be considered to be the "Best" perch? i was thinking about the V perches, but some one please fill me in.

Well, thanks again guys,
Very Respectfully,
NavyDT

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030175.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030176.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030177.jpg

[LokotaLoft]

well v perches do work but most would have to say that just a plain old 2x4s mounted on a stud would be just as good and easier to keep clean but its really up to you to decide heres a link to what Im referring to hope it helps .scrole down til you see the perches
http://www.reunionracinglofts.us/reu...s_interior.htm

[NavyDT]

how much space should be alotted from the bottom of one pirch to the top of another? 10 inches? and how far apart should they be side to side? thank you very much for answering my questions.
Very respectfully
NavyDT

[LokotaLoft]

I personally like it to be 12 inches from the top of the perch to the bottom of the one above it and I think at least a foot between rows to keep down the fighting as if they can reach the next bird over they will always try to pester one another if they can reach ... most go with 16 inches because thats the stud spacing in most buildings and they just mount them on the studs . Good luck and hope this helps

[NavyDT]

Hello all,
i got quite a bit done today,

i set the front piece in place

cut the holes for the 2 windows in the breeder sections then added the hardware cloth.

added the hole for the trap and avery

put up the last end piece

and installed all the perches and the landing pad on the inside under the trap ( refer to picture )

i cant wait to put the roof on, lay the shingles and the consider a choice of paint and or just thompsons waterproofing. on that subject, does anyone have any preferences? are there any paints i should steer away from? well thanks for checking back in,
Very Respectfully,
NavyDT

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030179.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030180.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030182.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030183.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030175.jpg

[NavyDT]

Woot! and greetings all,
so i enlisted the help of a friend, and we got the roof put on, and the shingles put on the roof, and mounted the front trap shutters, and the 2 breeder section window shutters. the next step will be to add the aivery and then paint. im thinking i will paint it a gray color to match the house... now all i need is a good loft name

Very Respectfully,
NavyDT

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030184.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030186.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...t/P1030187.jpg