New Pigeon Loft

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Vanguard
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Location: Canal Winchester, OH

New Pigeon Loft

Post by Vanguard » Fri Jul 31, 2009 8:26 am

So here's the details on the new loft 16' long x 8' wide x 10' high(8' interior and 2' raised off the groud). Due to the issues with both raccoons and rats we elected to go with a solid floor. Has Electric and interior lighting. Lights are 75watt compact florescent that only use 14watts a piece and they are bright suckers! Electric will come in hand this winter when the temps drop will be able to run a water heater with no problem. Still a couple of unfinished items like the exhaust fan that will go in the east end of the building. The 8" fan is temp/humidity controlled along with being programmable to turn on throughout the day to help exchange the air in the building. The fan has automatic louvers that raise and lower when the fan turns on and off. Also still have to add the stairs into the building and while you dont see it on the outside pictures the aviary does have screen across the front as well as matching roof metal over the top. One last thing you dont see in the outside picture is the landing board. We built a 10" wide by 2' long cedar landing board. We got a ton of rain that night so i didnt get all of the outside pictures I wanted.

Framed up: You can see the interior walls that make up the main breeding area and the feed storage room. Breeding area is 12'long by 8' wide.
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With the matching barn siding up:
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The East end of the building has a 6' wide x 2 1/2' deep aviary. You can see from the picture that the storm was rolling in and I was more concerned with getting the hardware cloth on the front and getting that matching roof metal on the top then getting pictures.
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When you step up in from the front door you can see directly into the breeder area. The loft entrance faces west and with the glass in the door should get plenty of evening light.
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Looking at the divider wall between the breeder loft and feed/storage room from inside the breeder loft:
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Recall door and landing board(mounted outside):
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Here's the breeder boxes, there's 15 total and with plenty of room to expand down the road if so chosen:
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Inside the breeder area:
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Since we have a solid floor and he's useing pine and cedar chips. We came up with a very easy way to clean out the loft. Buddy has an ATV trailer that just happens to fit right under the corner of the loft. So we cut a hole and placed a door in the floor allowing us to be able to back the trailer up under the loft and just sweep everything down the hole.
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Matt Rogers

Vanguard Vizslas
www.vanguardvizslas.com

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snips
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Re: New Pigeon Loft

Post by snips » Fri Jul 31, 2009 8:28 am

That is AWSOME!
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12 Volt Man
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Re: New Pigeon Loft

Post by 12 Volt Man » Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:45 am

That's a very nice loft. I like the size. Great work!

I recently finished a new one too. Not as big though.

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phermes1
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Re: New Pigeon Loft

Post by phermes1 » Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:12 am

Wow, you don't screw around!
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GSPoindexter
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Re: New Pigeon Loft

Post by GSPoindexter » Fri Jul 31, 2009 11:25 am

Will this pigeon recall door work for Quail? Are the funnels the best way to go for Quail? I'm getting ready to build a johnny house and am open to suggestions or someones plans.

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Vanguard
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Location: Canal Winchester, OH

Re: New Pigeon Loft

Post by Vanguard » Fri Jul 31, 2009 1:31 pm

phermes1 wrote:Wow, you don't screw around!

Nope!! With having lost close to 150+ pigeons over the last year to raccoon attacks it was time to make some changes. It never failed that just as the new group of 30 or so birds were homing back good something would happen. Recall door left open, bottom lock on the main door to the loft left open, coon ripping the hardware mesh off the front...talk about setting back your training. Then on top of that rats moved in under the old loft and the barn it sat next to and started "Ratville." I could go out almost every night and kill 2-4 rats with a .22 and rat shot and never put a dent in the population.

If I ever see a raccoon or rat even close to this new one I'll electrify the skirt around the bottom edge of the building.

Its already affectionately being called the "Pigeon Fortress"
Matt Rogers

Vanguard Vizslas
www.vanguardvizslas.com

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Vanguard
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Re: New Pigeon Loft

Post by Vanguard » Fri Jul 31, 2009 1:38 pm

GSPoindexter wrote:Will this pigeon recall door work for Quail? Are the funnels the best way to go for Quail? I'm getting ready to build a johnny house and am open to suggestions or someones plans.
it potentially could be used for a quail recall pen. However with the quail recalls they will be ground height so anything moving along the ground could potentially get in (rats, mink, raccoons, possum, cats, etc). So your going to want to use the funnel, that should do the best job of limiting access to predators and still allow your quail to get back in.

run a search on here and google...theres tons of different designs. Here's one that I can remember off the top of my head.

http://www.phantomquailkennel.com/
Matt Rogers

Vanguard Vizslas
www.vanguardvizslas.com

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Nebraska
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Re: New Pigeon Loft

Post by Nebraska » Fri Jul 31, 2009 9:36 pm

Holy smokes.....your pigeons have it better than I do!!!

If I had something that size, I'd stick in a window AC, reloading bench and cable..... :lol:

Very nice work.... :wink:

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Rick Hall
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Re: New Pigeon Loft

Post by Rick Hall » Sun Aug 02, 2009 5:25 pm

Giving my birds a place like that to stand and work at the trap bobs from the inside would be like giving them a "get out of jail free" card. I've even had to bevel the bottom of the trap frame to keep the smart ones from getting enough toe-hold to hang onto while they flip a bob up with their heads and slip out - showing the less ingenious ones how to follow suit.
If you think I'm wrong, you might be right.

(And to see just how confused I really am, join us in my online blind at: Rick's 2009-2010 season log)

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