THE LOFT

OPEN LOFT VS. CAGES

Breeding and moulting time

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When I grew up a lot of the kids around kept pigeons or chickens. I learned the hard way how to secure a loft.

We always kept the birds in open lofts and while you in continental Europe may find the odd breeder keeping birds locked up pairwise it is the exception to the rule, save for a few breeds being known for being particularly aggressive.

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Breeding cages can work but the only advantage is that you are sure who the father of the young is and that you do not get soil on your feet. I strongly recommend keeping Bokharas in an open loft. Unless you really know what you are doing, do not keep other breeds with Bokharas. The Bokharas are slower and while some will fight with all of their hearts, others will perish and fade away in a competitive environment and you will get no pleasure.

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The way I do it is keeping 6-7 pairs of Bokharas in 3 metre by 3 metre loft, 10 feet by 10 feet. Options to fly about 150 cm high (5 feet)  should be offered. Not all Bokharas will fly that high, but for those who do, it is important they have the opportunity.

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Reasons to use open lofts for breeding

For me, it is very simple. It is more natural to a pigeon to be able to move than sit locked up in a cage. Therefore it must also be better. I have never used individual pair cages as such but I have had pairs locked up for longer periods. Based on my experience fertility is the number 1 reason open loft breeding is better. Bokharas are not too active in the first place but given their own spot to defend or a neighboring spot to try and conquer keeps them busy and seems to raise testosterone levels in the males which certainly adds to fertility and vigor resulting in more numerous offspring at the end of the breeding season. I find individual cages cause lazy cock birds as they are not threatened and lesser fertility being the unwanted outcome.

I will use individual lofts of 120 x 100 cm for pairs where I notice the cock bird is particularly slow or stupid in jumping the hen for proper copulation but as soon as I think he has gotten the hang of it, the pair goes back into a community loft.

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Moulting time

If you have done things right during breeding you will have more Bokharas entering the moult than you have room for. I have. Same aspects come into play. They need to be able to move and take baths but relatively early

(September usually with the shows being late December to late January) I decide which birds might be show prospects. Those are moved to the previously mentioned 120 x 100 cm lofts, usually 4 in each to have better conditions to moult with minimum feather damage.
The other birds are kept in the breeding lofts and utmost attention to their behavior and observation is required to spot any troubles.

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In fact, the ability to observe an animal and determine its health at a glance is often the small difference between success and failure.

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