[Chocolate Head]

I've been very intriged by pigeons for a while. About 18 months ago, I introducted myself to several local fanciers. After watching their homers fly for a while I decided to get my own because of the passion I have for watching them. They have been gracious enough to help me by giving me some yb's when I'm ready.

I first helped my brother-in-law build an 8'x10'x8' loft with an aviary 3'wide x
4' high x 8' long. Last weekend we put 8 yb's in there and they are settling in fine. However, he lives 45 minutes from me, so I wouldn't be able to share the joy as often as I would like.

Now I would like my own loft, but don't have much room. My two daughters are very exicted about having our own birds and having them home to our loft. I planned to build a mini loft behind my metal shed, but am realizing this may not be the best idea for the pigeons. It would be more like a rabbit hutch, probably 3' high x 4' long x 2' or 3' wide. Through my research on this forum, it appears that wider is more important than long or high. Even though I intend to fly my birds almost everyday, I get the impression this just may not be adequate accomidations for the birds. I planned to have 4-6 birds and control their breeding. Any accidents could be transferred to my brother in law's loft, sold, or given away. Besides the offer of some really nice white and red homers, I have an opportunity to get some white satinettes from a local guy who is getting out of pigeons for health reasons. He has a buyer for all of the birds, but offered to sell me a pair for $20. The catch is that I would need to get them in the next week or two, before the other buyer returns.

I'm not comfortable with taking on birds that won't be happy and am starting to reconsider. Does anyone see my situation different than I do?

 

[Revolution Lofts]

The size of loft you want to make is pretty good for about 4 pigeons if there is no more breeding. Or you could just get 4 hens and no males.

Is there no possible way of making the loft somewhere else? Could you maybe post a picture of your backyard so we can think of other solutions?

 

[Lovebirds]

Is the rabbit hutch size the biggest you can do?
I personally see things just the way you see them. Homers, even though allowed out almost daily, would not be happy in the size you describe. In something that size, the MOST I would put in it is 4 and just one pair would be better. IMO, neither you nor the birds would be happy about the accomodations. They obviously don't stay young birds and eventually will want to nest and lay eggs and in something that size, it would be difficult to let them raise even ONE set of babies, because at some point, their babies become "just two more birds" and they would want to kick them out.
Now, the satinettes might do ok in something that size if you could incorporate some sort of avairy so that they could get outside in the fresh air some.
Some people fly their Sats..........I had a few for a while and have one now, but they didn't fly and my one doesn't fly. He's actually in his own loft with his mate. Actually, it used to be a chicken coop and is 4 x 4 x 4 with a 4 x 8 attached aviary. They are perfectly happy in their little house.

 

[Chocolate Head]

The sats the local guy has fly in his loft, which is huge. His loft is more like an enourmous green house or something you see at a zoo. Being new to this, I wasn't sure if they would fly around the neigborhood and home back to my loft. I'm not judging anyone with what they do, but I'm really not comfortable keeping pigeons that aren't let out to fly. My opinion is that's what they are made to do, and watching them fly is what is so fascinating to me. Will sats be a better fit and will yb's home to my loft?

 

[Revolution Lofts]

In size, Sats would be better
Young birds if gotten very very young (around 30-32 days old) will home to your loft, any more than that and the chances start decreasing but they still can. (Keep them locked up longer)

If I were you I would keep rollers. Compared to other bird sizes they are very small.

 

[fastpitch dad]

Check out the Redrose loft. Maybe that will work for you.
http://www.redroselofts.com

 

[Big T]

Rollers are a good choice if you are only going to fly them at home, but if you plan to train homers and maybe race different story. First decide what you want, then build the loft to suit. Rollers, being a smaller bird do not require as much space. You can also get them older and train them to your loft. This means you can get just hens also, no breeding issues.

Good Luck,
Tony