Diamond dave Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 Does anyone know if there is a "desired" humidity inside the loft and what it should be. Would it be different in summer to winter and how can you control it.........? D.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IB Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 There's been a few threads on the forum over the years on this subject. It's reckoned if the humidity inside your loft isn't between 40% & 60% birds will not hit form. So I take that (hopefully) to be during the racing season. I say hopefully, because I have a humiditymeter installed in two places in my loft and I've come to the conclusion during the 3/4 years I've had them, that whatever the humidity is outside (you can get that from the weather forecast)that's what it is inside. During a heavy rainstorm that could be between 90% & 100%. (The percentage is the amount of water droplets in the air). Obviously during warmer weather it's drier so humidity drops back to within 40% - 60% range, so I don't think you've much to worry about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirky Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 There's been a few threads on the forum over the years on this subject. It's reckoned if the humidity inside your loft isn't between 40% & 60% birds will not hit form. So I take that (hopefully) to be during the racing season. I say hopefully, because I have a humiditymeter installed in two places in my loft and I've come to the conclusion during the 3/4 years I've had them, that whatever the humidity is outside (you can get that from the weather forecast)that's what it is inside. During a heavy rainstorm that could be between 90% & 100%. (The percentage is the amount of water droplets in the air). Obviously during warmer weather it's drier so humidity drops back to within 40% - 60% range, so I don't think you've much to worry about.i also agree with the above i have a weatherstation that shows humidity inside and out, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mick bowler Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 IMO i dont think it matters what the humidity is in a loft as long as its the "norm" and you birds are acclimatised to it, and i think the problem comes when there are rapid fluctuations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond dave Posted November 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 My problem is that my loft is a brick shed which appears to hold on to damp air - would it make any difference if I put shutters up or am I best to leave it open......? D.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirky Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 IMO i dont think it matters what the humidity is in a loft as long as its the "norm" and you birds are acclimatised to it, and i think the problem comes when there are rapid fluctuations.it can affect early breeding when there are rapid changes, like eggs failing to hatch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mick bowler Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 My problem is that my loft is a brick shed which appears to hold on to damp air - would it make any difference if I put shutters up or am I best to leave it open......? D.D. Dave mine is the same, you have to try and keep the air moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IB Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 My problem is that my loft is a brick shed which appears to hold on to damp air - would it make any difference if I put shutters up or am I best to leave it open......? D.D. Mine is a brick garage. I've been working over the years to improve ventilation / air flow including putting in ventilated ridge (roof), ventilators along top of back wall, replacing the window with a veranda, mesh internal dividing walls, and building an aviary onto the up & over door end, with the door permanently open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Owen Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 I agree with what has been said. The desired humidity in a pigeon loft is about 60%. Now that is pretty nearly impossible to achieve especially in the rain and during the winter. However, there are things you can do. Do not build a loft under trees, near water, in the shade or near buildings. If you have to build near a biulding make sure it is to the south or south east of the building. Biuld the loft up off the ground to get a circulation of air to go under it. It is best if you can make the floor so as to contain insulation material to keep it warm. A loft is better sited on concrete or paving than earthor lawn, it is dryer and you can get some refelcted heat. Get plenty of sun into the loft and make sure the ventilation works by exhausting the foul air out from above the pigeons. Ventilation is very important because pigeons produce a lot of moisture from their breath and you must get rid of it and bearing in mind that the respiration of a bird is far more efficient than that of a mammal, you must not allow stale air to pocket and become stagnant.About the last thing you can do is to provide your loft with heat to dry the air. Many European widowhood flyers do this every year as a matter of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mick bowler Posted November 18, 2010 Report Share Posted November 18, 2010 Its not rocket science with humidity, the fact is unless you spend £1000's on a totally controllable system the best humidity you will get is the same as the outside air, so moving air as quick as you can through the loft without causing drafts will solve it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond dave Posted November 19, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2010 Thanks for all your replies.Unfortunately I have just got an old single brick shed for my loft - not off the floor or anything fancy and it probably faces the wrong way. Ive put an onduline roof on it with some clear sheets on it which give me a lot of condensation but it does make it a lot brighter. I am afraid I amn stuck with it and have to make the best of it. I handled a friends birds in a wooden loft the other day and was staggered by the condition of them against my own birds - I seem to struggle to get condition on my birds and thought it might be something to do with th humidity - does anyone know if shutters would help or am I better to allow air flow through the shed. Thganks D.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter4pm Posted November 19, 2010 Report Share Posted November 19, 2010 we cant change the weather im affraid ..wish we could though especialy here in scotland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billt Posted November 19, 2010 Report Share Posted November 19, 2010 A couple of points to add to this thread, If you can have them on open loft this will help stale air and they stay in great condition, also it's the numbers game, the fewer you keep per square area the better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted November 19, 2010 Report Share Posted November 19, 2010 My problem is that my loft is a brick shed which appears to hold on to damp air - would it make any difference if I put shutters up or am I best to leave it open......? D.D. Line out the loft with plywood leaving a 4-8cm gap between the brickwork and ply. The air in between the two will act as insulation and slow down fluctuations of temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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