What is a draft

[Newbie2020]

What do people regard as a draft in a loft? I have a corridor on my loft which has wire mesh half way up which exposes the loft to the elements but mainly catches the corridor. The wind blows straight through and directly into the main loft with the boxes on the back wall. I hear about pigeons not liking drafts so how does this stand?

[Guest cloudview]

drafts are normally associated with small gaps , openings  etc  , like bad fitting window frames , doors left open by an inch or two .

what your describing i wouldn't class  as a draught  

[David048]

i think you need to make sure the perches/boxes are always on the back wall with the openings and vents on the sides and front. That's the normal layout which means you get airflow but the birds can get out of any direct drafts.

Check on my signature and there are loads of articles about lft design and ventillation.

[Guest frank dooman]

great  ques. i will watch with great interist as ive asked this before

[Guest Grasshopper Lofts]

i always though a draft was when the air tempreture inside isnt the same as that outside hence you gte a draft so if the tempreture imside is the same as that out side there is no way u can have a draft....

[Newbie2020]

I ask the question as my birds are looking dreadful and dont know what is wrong with them. Taken to vet and come back clear, slight canker, but been treated for that with pills he gave. They just puff up like in the pictures all the time. I let them out earlier and they flew for 20 minutes.

[Guest frank dooman]

its cold just now i bird does that to retain heat doesnt mean there is anything wrong are you giving some extra feeding to combat the cold?

[Newbie2020]

Yes giving them plenty of food but been like this for about 7 weeks now. Really getting me down in the dumps and I feel like jacking the lot in. Been to the vets and come back drawing a blank. I hate going up to the loft each day as I know they are going to be looking like this.

[Guest frank dooman]

Yes giving them plenty of food but been like this for about 7 weeks now. Really getting me down in the dumps and I feel like jacking the lot in. Been to the vets and come back drawing a blank. I hate going up to the loft each day as I know they are going to be looking like this.

 

DONT LET IT GET YOU DOWN THEY WILL LOOK 200% BETTER WHEN THE SUN DECIDES TO COME OUT SORY CAPS

[Newbie2020]

Even when its been nice they have been looking the same. I just dont know else I can do. I dont know whether to put some sheeting on the loft to stop the cold winds blowing directly into the loft? I really am so disheartened

[David048]

yep mine are the same at the mo - it's just cold. if droppings are ok then they'll be fine.

 

if you want to know about drafts read this - it's a bit teckie tho!!

 

Purpose of Ventilation

 

The purpose of ventilation is to: Make fresh oxygen available to the respiratory system. Remove the exhaled gases and the gases produced by the droppings. Rid the loft of excess moisture so the RH will stay within the permissible levels. Help maintain the temperature at the proper level.

 

You may have to ventilate year round when you want to provide the loft with new oxygen and at the same time remove the accumulated harmful gases. Especially in the summer, when the temperature outside is high, ventilation is essential to remove the heat the pigeons produce. As the temperature rises the level of oxygen in the air goes down. For this reason we must ventilate more. During the winter, though we ventilate as little as possible by reason of the fact that we want to keep the loss of heat to a minimum. This minimum amount depends on the number of pigeons in the loft and the odor they produce.

 

Mechanics of Ventilation

 

A body of air which is trapped inside a closed area will put pressure on all sides whenever the temperature in that area is higher than the outside temperature. Heat is produced by the pigeons, the sun’s rays that penetrate the loft, and when available, other sources of heat. Within the loft the air will layer itself and the warmest layer will rise to the ceiling, while the coolest air is found near the floor. Whenever warm air meets the outside air and exchange will take place. Because of the built up pressure the warmer air will move out from the top of the loft while the colder air comes back in at the bottom, thus replacing the warmer and lighter air inside the loft. This, in brief, is the is the principle of natural ventilation.

 

Natural ventilation is the result of the temperature differences or a difference in weight between the air inside the loft and the outside air. If the difference is extensive the exchange happens quicker and as a result you have more natural ventilation.

 

The amount of natural ventilation can also be increased by the so called “chimney effectâ€. This effect is based on the idea that air pressure differences also depend on the difference in height between the air outlet and air intake. This difference can be increase by way of ducts.

 

Pressure Caused by Wind

 

There is more pressure placed on the side of the loft on which the wind is blowing and less pressure on the opposite side. When the ventilation openings are not properly covered, or in some way protected, they will help bring about unwanted side ventilation, because of the wind pressure. Another word for this type of ventilation is drafts. Nobody needs this! The best thing to do is locate the loft in relation to the prevailing winds so that this problem is kept to a minimum.

 

Ventilation System Requirements

 

Proper ventilation should: Be able to maintain the correct quality of air. Provide good quality air to all corners of the loft. Never cause drafts. Be both efficient and easy to regulate.

[Guest frank dooman]

i wouldnt do that i dont know what you look for in raceing but i want my birds to be able to do the distance races even when the weather is not the best so i dont want to make them soft if they cant handle some cold/damp weather they are no good to me some might not agree with me but thats  JMO. dont close off the ventilation that could be much worse

[Guest IB]

Nothing wrong with your birds, they puff up like that to trap warm air near the skin and conserve heat loss. Try to look beyond what you see as a problem for other clues - just look at the pictures you have posted - look at that chalk white wattle, the clean, bright sparkling eye, the sheen off the feathers, all signs of birds in good health. And they have also come back clear from the vets. What other proof do you need that the birds are OK?  

[Newbie2020]

I will still have plenty of ventilation in the loft as i have a 6 inch gap running along the back of the loft and have 3 louves on the front of the loft, so think there will still be plenty of airflow. I feel I have to do something as the birds are so out of condition its unbelievable. I just think the 6 x 3 area of wire mesh may need to be covered up

[Guest frank dooman]

I will still have plenty of ventilation in the loft as i have a 6 inch gap running along the back of the loft and have 3 louves on the front of the loft, so think there will still be plenty of airflow. I feel I have to do something as the birds are so out of condition its unbelievable. I just think the 6 x 3 area of wire mesh may need to be covered up

 

ok well you seem to have made up your mind i wish you all the best

[Newbie2020]

I agree with the wattles and the eyes, but the sheen is definitely non existent. Think the camera flash has help create this. I am hoping to go back to the vets tomorrow and gonna ask for the works to be done on them to find out what exactly is going on.

[dwh]

What do people regard as a draft in a loft? I have a corridor on my loft which has wire mesh half way up which exposes the loft to the elements but mainly catches the corridor. The wind blows straight through and directly into the main loft with the boxes on the back wall. I hear about pigeons not liking drafts so how does this stand?

 

VENTILATION the intentional movement of air from outside a building to the inside

DRAFTS  unwanted air getting in through holes nooks and crannies

jmo

[ticeye]

I will still have plenty of ventilation in the loft as i have a 6 inch gap running along the back of the loft and have 3 louves on the front of the loft, so think there will still be plenty of airflow. I feel I have to do something as the birds are so out of condition its unbelievable. I just think the 6 x 3 area of wire mesh may need to be covered up

 

 

   I also have a gap at back of loft and have three foot louvers running the full lenght of the front of the loft . no way will i ever close off the airflow as fresh air costs nothing and stale air causing health problems (to pigeons and fanciers) will cost you a lot .

   I remember a long time ago an article written by "Old Hand" in one of the pigeon papers that the best loft consisted of three wire walls and a solid back and roof

plenty of free fresh air ,bloom blown away no PFL no draughs healthy pigeons .

[Guest]

 

 

   I also have a gap at back of loft and have three foot louvers running the full lenght of the front of the loft . no way will i ever close off the airflow as fresh air costs nothing and stale air causing health problems (to pigeons and fanciers) will cost you a lot .

   I remember a long time ago an article written by "Old Hand" in one of the pigeon papers that the best loft consisted of three wire walls and a solid back and roof

plenty of free fresh air ,bloom blown away no PFL no draughs healthy pigeons .

 

spot on

[Guest puresoontjen]

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spot on

 

get on you mean  ;D ;D