Page 1 of 1
Moving Houses
Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2026 6:59 pm
by Winfort Lofts
Hi all,
Found out recently from my estate agent, that my landlord is looking to sell the property, so I’m currently on the hunt for a new place.
As you can imagine, top of the priority list is finding somewhere we can keep the birds. That currently involves jumping through hoops with developers and housing associations just to get permission—and God forbid buying a place only to find out after the paperwork is signed that they won't allow a loft!
It’s left me at a bit of a crossroads regarding the loft setup and the birds, so I’d value some solid advice from anyone who has been through it:
• Training late-breds vs. waiting: Is it worth pushing ahead with training my current late-breds through this period of uncertainty, or would I be better off pausing and focusing on breeding an earlier round once I'm fully settled in the new place?
• Breaking vs. starting fresh: Is it actually worth the hassle trying to break birds to a new location, or am I honestly better off starting fresh once the new loft is up?
Budget-wise, I’ll still only be looking at setting up a modest 12' x 6' shed/loft at the new spot to keep things manageable.
Any advice, past experiences, or tips on breaking adults versus starting over would be massively appreciated.
Cheers!
Re: Moving Houses
Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2026 8:13 pm
by Devo1956
Good luck Matt, i hope you get it all sorted mate.
Re: Moving Houses
Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2026 8:29 pm
by Buster121
I hope you manage to get sorted quickly, cannot advise on the questions asked others will though especially Andy he has done it several times
Re: Moving Houses
Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2026 8:35 pm
by chrisroscoe
Winfort Lofts wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2026 6:59 pm
Hi all,
Found out recently from my estate agent, that my landlord is looking to sell the property, so I’m currently on the hunt for a new place.
As you can imagine, top of the priority list is finding somewhere we can keep the birds. That currently involves jumping through hoops with developers and housing associations just to get permission—and God forbid buying a place only to find out after the paperwork is signed that they won't allow a loft!
It’s left me at a bit of a crossroads regarding the loft setup and the birds, so I’d value some solid advice from anyone who has been through it:
• Training late-breds vs. waiting: Is it worth pushing ahead with training my current late-breds through this period of uncertainty, or would I be better off pausing and focusing on breeding an earlier round once I'm fully settled in the new place?
• Breaking vs. starting fresh: Is it actually worth the hassle trying to break birds to a new location, or am I honestly better off starting fresh once the new loft is up?
Budget-wise, I’ll still only be looking at setting up a modest 12' x 6' shed/loft at the new spot to keep things manageable.
Any advice, past experiences, or tips on breaking adults versus starting over would be massively appreciated.
Cheers!
This comes down to preference.
It depends if you want the hassle trying to break them in ?
Starting afresh is always the easiest, but you might have some birds you really want too keep.
Breaking them is just time and effort and ofcourse the first few races they probably go back to the old loft
Re: Moving Houses
Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2026 10:31 pm
by Andy
Winfort Lofts wrote: Mon Aug 31, 2026 6:59 pm
Hi all,
Found out recently from my estate agent, that my landlord is looking to sell the property, so I’m currently on the hunt for a new place.
As you can imagine, top of the priority list is finding somewhere we can keep the birds. That currently involves jumping through hoops with developers and housing associations just to get permission—and God forbid buying a place only to find out after the paperwork is signed that they won't allow a loft!
It’s left me at a bit of a crossroads regarding the loft setup and the birds, so I’d value some solid advice from anyone who has been through it:
• Training late-breds vs. waiting: Is it worth pushing ahead with training my current late-breds through this period of uncertainty, or would I be better off pausing and focusing on breeding an earlier round once I'm fully settled in the new place?
• Breaking vs. starting fresh: Is it actually worth the hassle trying to break birds to a new location, or am I honestly better off starting fresh once the new loft is up?
Budget-wise, I’ll still only be looking at setting up a modest 12' x 6' shed/loft at the new spot to keep things manageable.
Any advice, past experiences, or tips on breaking adults versus starting over would be massively appreciated.
Cheers!
Why would you want to start afresh if you have pigeons that you’re happy with. I presume you will have moved before next season? If you have late breds now I wouldn’t be training them before you move unless you think you may not. I would wait until you’ve moved, get your old birds paired up then you shouldn’t have too much trouble breaking them. I have moved 6 times with the same pigeons. The odd ones flying out from each location. I moved 200 miles from Sussex to Cornwall and took my birds with me. Yes I lost the odd one but not many and not the better ones. Even a hen who had flown Lerwick 650 miles in Sussex broke easily to Cornwall and later again when I moved to Somerset, another 100 mile move. I did find it was different birds that started to perform in the different locations but the base of my family was still the same.
I think your better off starting in a new place with birds you already know about than getting in birds that you either have as prisoners, and with a small loft not really an option, or breaking them. So no different than breaking your own.
Re: Moving Houses
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2026 8:29 am
by Murray
The deciding factor might be if you are intending to remain in the same local area, or if you might be moving further afield.
If you are only going to move a short distance, maybe not more than 10 to 15 miles, there is no issue. Break them to the new place and carry on exactly as before. You need not miss a beat.
If you find a suitable place within a reasonable distance of where you are now, start tossing your pigeons from there the moment you know you have it. Over and over.
Then on the day you have to vacate your present address take them all to the new place and let them settle in for two days. Then let the cocks or the hens out. They will go straight back to the old place, find nothing there and come back.
Believe me, I've done it a dozen times. I even raced them a week after shifting them. They went back to the old place, but they didn't the following week.
The logistics of moving them is a nuisance, but it is what it is. You have to move, so be proactive.
I hope you find a place you are both really happy with.