[Doosstcombs]

Hi I read somewhere about open loft what does that mean for Pigeons? And is it good or bad?

[walterboswell59]

open loft is when you can leave your traps or door open from dawn till dusk and let the birds come and go as they please and yes its very good for them makes them very happy and content as long as you are not bothered by bop or cats its great for them

[Doosstcombs]

walterboswell59, on 27 September 2018 - 17:13 PM, said:

open loft is when you can leave your traps or door open from dawn till dusk and let the birds come and go as they please and yes its very good for them makes them very happy and content as long as you are not bothered by bop or cats its great for them

I might try that once I got paired up in January give them a happy life but I do have the odd cats that come in, or if there’s 2 lofts with seperate sex one loft get one day out and the other out the other day

[BIGPETE]

Heard people say it makes the birds more “streetwise” as they learn to be more crafty and avoid bops etc. But I can’t see how that would be possible as can only see the bop having a field day. Anyone on here with an open loft? Please share your experiences 🙏🏽

[billt]

Yes Pete, Have one lot that have been on open loft for 30yrs. But of course I do lose them regularly, one this week on the yard s/hawk, was a yearling, They do learn if they live long enough, two are 2010 and one 2011.

[eastcoaster]

My hens are out all winter , lost one to Percy I think a month ago and birds would not come out loft for over a week but ok now ,
It's the first one for a long time I have lost to bop but the slightest noise from other birds and their off .
So happier not so sure but it keeps them in fantastic condition .

[Doosstcombs]

Another thing is if it’s racing season I keep them in and training to fly home but winter or breeding I would use the open loft and feeding in morning and evening but they please themselves

[Doosstcombs]

Doosstcombs, on 28 September 2018 - 13:52 PM, said:

Another thing is if it’s racing season I keep them in and training to fly home but winter or breeding I would use the open loft and feeding in morning and evening but they please themselves

No decided just keep them in and exercise some days as I got predators round our village

[neila]

BIGPETE, on 27 September 2018 - 17:36 PM, said:

Heard people say it makes the birds more “streetwise” as they learn to be more crafty and avoid bops etc. But I can’t see how that would be possible as can only see the bop having a field day. Anyone on here with an open loft? Please share your experiences 🙏🏽

I tried an experiment with a pair two years ago ,I placed a large nest box high up on the side of me loft and left a pair of yearlings out all winter from the end of the season , they were doing great and I thought maybe they have got wise to the Hawks come late February they were both dead killed by sparrowhawks in a week
Maybe if they have a open loft as babies they would get wise

It's not for me as in my area Feb to late April the sparrow Hawks are non stop and I prefer my birds in the sky or the loft and not on the loft roof etc although I do let my cocks have 15 mins playing after there evening fly