John Froelich

Pigeons are a wonderfully adaptable bird, and the purpose of your first loft will be to give your birds the minimum requirements for successful breeding and racing so you can enjoy the sport, and learn new things as you go.

Basic Loft Fundamentals Keep these fundamentals in mind as you begin to design your loft, and you will be on your way to enjoying the sport for years to come.

For great photos and examples of starter lofts, please visit: http://www.redroselofts.com/starter_loft.htm PLEASE be sure and scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page - there are AWESOME examples of how variations on this design can work for you...and some cool lofts, too!

1. Ventilation. Your birds need fresh air as much as food and water. Study existing loft photos, diagrams in books and visit with fanciers in your area to talk about the best ways to keep your loft ventilated. Some type of opening (roofline vents, sidewall vents or exhaust fans) in the roof or near to top of the loft will allow hot air to escape in the summer. The aviary will also serve to get the birds fresh air, as well as the much needed sunshine. No one knows better than Mother Nature how to keep your birds healthy and happy.

2. Dry. In everything that you do, as yourself, will my loft stay dry? Moisture is the number one culprit when it comes to sick birds. Nothing good comes from dampness and wetness in a loft. Do everything in your power to keep the inside of your loft dry at all times. The best way to get a good start at this is to keep the loft elevated off the ground. Using a pair of stacked cinder blocks will get your loft about 18" -- 24" off the ground and this is good. It allows air to circulate under the loft, and thereby helping to keep it dry. Also, a wood floor (plywood, etc) will help absorb moisture from the droppings, and that goes a long way in keeping the loft dry.

3. Easy to clean. For most people, it will be important to keep the loft scraped clean several times a week, if not every day. There are other techniques, such as deep litter, that can be explored later, but to start, keep in mind that you will clean almost every day, and make sure the loft is easy to clean. Wood floors are easy to scrap clean and as they absorb moisture. Dry droppings are easier to clean than wet ones, and as in #2 above, dry is important. DO NOT use a formica type material for floors, perches or any area in the loft where birds will walk, sit, etc. The smooth surface, while easy to scrape, will not allow the droppings to dry quickly and will end up being more of a mess than they are worth.

4. Sunshine. If possible, try to locate and orient your loft so that the aviary or front of the loft faces south or southeast. This will give your birds the maximum exposure to sunshine, and especially in the winter time when the sun is short and low on the horizon, will help keep the loft warm, dry and as enjoyable for the birds as possible.

The breeding section When pigeons are ready to breed, they will use almost any place to build their nest. I've seen pairs of eggs in several places on the floor, from right behind the door, to right in the middle of the loft floor! Here are some key tips to successfully breeding a team of young birds for your first racing team.

1. Give your birds some type of box to build their nest in. A stack of milk crates can be effective, or you could build your own boxes or even buy some pre-assembled or assemble yourself boxes from any of the major pigeon product suppliers on the market.

2. Keep the fronts of the boxes open to start. This will help eliminate any problems from fighting birds. Pigeons are very territorial, and will defend their nests to the point of exhaustion. Very often, the result of fighting in nest boxes results in broken eggs and killed babies, as they are trampled by the fighting birds. Their toenails are very, very sharp, and will shred a defenseless baby in no time.

3. Keep the boxes off the floor, preferably at shoulder level or below. This will allow you to clean the boxes and check the eggs and babies, comfortably and without too much trouble.

4. Use some type of breeding bowl in the box. As soon as you put this into the box, if a cock and hen have claimed the box, they will know exactly what to do. The cock will strut into the bowl, and after a short time, will begin "calling" to the hen to join him in the nestbowl. This is a wonderful and intriguing part of breeding. The easiest to use to begin with would be disposable nestbowls -- made out of material similar to egg cartons. One example is the SAV-A-DAY NESTBOWL. They are cheap, work very well, and you don't have to clean them -- you just toss them out when they are soiled.

http://www.globalpigeon.com/gps.php?action=showprod&id=47

5. Nest materials. Give your breeders some nesting materials, and watch the fun begin! It always amazes me that the birds instinctively know exactly what to do. Some people will throw a handful of straw onto the floor of the breeder section. A very useful item to provide is tobacco stems. These stems make excellent nesting materials, and because of the oils in the stems, are a great deterrent to bugs and lice in the nesting bowls. You can also use nest pads, which are woven wool-like pads that line the nest, keeping the eggs and babies warm and providing footing for the little babies, which helps prevent "spraddle-leg syndrome" in babies.

http://www.globalpigeon.com/gps.php?action=showprod&id=44

nest building material hopper

another nesting material hopper

6. Make plans for an aviary -- a cage on the outside of the loft, so that the breeders have free access to sunshine and fresh air. These two things are the MOST critical to keeping your pigeons healthy, happy and relaxed. The aviary should be large enough to house at least half of your breeders without being crowded, and if high enough, have a perch. Birds love to sit on perches high up. A roof on the aviary is not necessary as the birds also love to sit in the rain -- kind of like a natural shower. You may want to consider a short roof extending from the outside wall, so that the opening into the loft is protected from rain getting inside the loft.

SUMMARY

1. Build your loft so that it stays dry -- by keeping it elevated and with proper ventilation. 2. Let the sun shine in. Birds love fresh air and sunshine…kind of like people, eh? 3. Give your birds a safe, comfortable place to raise their family, and you will be rewarded with all the wonders that breeding pigeons will provide.

RESOURCES

1. Links a. www.globalpigeon.com b.