Best loft location & bird dilemma?

January 20, 2009

SOS - Yet another complete newbie hungry for info! Sorry guys and gals

I am looking for information on where best to place my new loft as I have heard that obstructions need to be kept to a minimum, but with my garden that is going to be hard, so I decided to try and find a local club to ask for some further local help. Unforfunately my websearches are not proving to be very fruitful. I live on the outskirts of Leicester City.

My garden is long (20 x 10 mtrs) and rectangluar at one end furthest from the house, there are high trees (which is where, of course, is sufficient space for a loft with the entrance/exit pointing out back towards the house) on one side looking back to the house on the left is a high boundry fence to which leads onto my next door neighbours double length garage. On the right hand side is yet another high boundry fence. Any ideas?

My other dilemma is where do I find birds? I am looking to purchase white pigeons and have read that it is best to buy young birds as older birds tend to return back to their original lofts.

Any info would be brilliant. Thanks

January 20, 2009

;)welcome Denny ,louellas arent far from you for white pigeons ,as to loft location facing the house sounds good which way will your future racers be coming from ? south i assume ,and south is generally best for the birds .(your not on E.ME. estate are you ?) ;D andy.

alex wight · January 20, 2009

as long as there arent loads of wires over your garden, i,m sure the birds will adapt to there loft. i had trees at the back off my old garden with 6 wires over the garden and it didnt deter them one bit. only when they were young birds did they hit the wires but they soon learned. As for buying mate, i,ve always been told the best are the ones from clubmates and friends for free. Dont splash out when just starting. all the best alex.

fletch · January 20, 2009

;)welcome Denny ,louellas arent far from you for white pigeons ,as to loft location facing the house sounds good which way will your future racers be coming from ? south i assume ,and south is generally best for the birds .(your not on E.ME. estate are you ?) ;D andy.

This is verry good advice. how big will your loft be?

January 21, 2009

Hi, Thanks for the prompt replies already.

I will certainly check out Louellas. Thank you.

I am currently getting a 8x6x6 loft (open to suggestions though if this is the wrong size) for 20 birds. Again I am not sure if this is the right size as the websites I have searched seemed to have different ideas on what is good size for birds, but I have tried to work out a 'in-between' size for the birds, I don't want them crammed in (not fair on the poor things) and I don't want them evading me because I've given them too much room either. :-/ Is it the wrong size?

Really sorry, but I am not sure what a E.ME estate is... ??) All I can say is that I live in a small village on the outskirts of Leicester with some great landmarks for the pigeons to 'home in' on (M1, M69, A5! ;D!). The only downfall is that there are breeding pairs of peregrines which live near by and have been known to fly over and into my garden! Can't help mother natures call - So I am already expecting some 'losses' so aware about changing the times I let the birds out as the peregrines 'clock in' on their flight times for their dinner.

Does anyone know if there is a club close to Leicester/Coventry side? Hungry for information and advice and don't want to make myself too much of a pain in the butt on the forum asking questions every five mins!

Thanks again and for the great welcome.

January 21, 2009

if you go to louelas you can get white and white grizzle there not far from you they are in leicester

gangster · January 21, 2009

YOU WILL FIND YOUR BIRDS ARE VERY ADAPTABLE, ALSO THERE ARE A FEW MEMBERS ON HERE WHO KEEP PURE WHITES THEY MAYBE A BETTER OPTION THAN LOUELLA...

January 21, 2009

I personally would make it taller than 6 foot so you can stand up fully in there not bent over.

greenlands · January 21, 2009

Hi Denny,i don't know if this will help but here goes.My racing lofts face S.East and my house.Along the left hand side of the loft there is a six foot wall, right hand side is next doors garden.The only time my birds are allowed to be on the roof/ garden wall is when they are very young and just find there bearings.After that they get booted off, anything that persists in the bin.Lindsay.

January 21, 2009

Hi Denny welcome to pb, as you can tell we are a helpfull bunch ;D ;D

all the best Amanda & Dave 8)

stantheman · January 21, 2009

denny there is a club at hinkley is that far from you? also club at earl shilton. i am 10 mins away from hinkley if you need any advice just pm me

peterpau · January 21, 2009

Denny yes there are plenty of clubs near you gillmorton braunstone hinkley and more I am sure. I may be able to help a bit more if you could give me a land mark or village near by. I have bought some whites from Louella of genuine racing stock but I have not bred from them yet as I don't pair till mid March. Welcome to the site sure you will get plenty of assistance.

January 21, 2009

if you can get your loft to face south that would be ideal and get the longest loft you can afford to save having to extend it in the near future, have known many new starters using 8x6 lofts then wanting bigger one's the following year. good luck and enjoy your birds