milan rollers
48 posts
Dec 04, 2008
8:25 AM
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what do people use on their floor lofts
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Ballrollers
1613 posts
Dec 04, 2008
11:26 AM
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I use about 6-8 inches of cedar shavings with Foy's loft dressing to help prevent salmonella growth....also in the nest boxes. It is very absorbent, smells nice, stays dry, helps with insects, and keeps the first few rounds of squeakers warm in winter. When I clean it out in the summer, all I get is a very dry, powdery litter of feather bloom, shavings, feathers and dried waste...not a good environment for bacterial growth.
Cliff
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rtwilliams
275 posts
Dec 04, 2008
12:56 PM
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I use a hoe cut down to scape, and then Shop vac all the goody's.
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RT Williams
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Bill from NJ
32 posts
Dec 04, 2008
1:27 PM
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milan,
I have did it, done it, been there!
I have tried all kinds of crap from using; sand, wood shavings, kitty litter, blah, blah, blah, etc.....
I just went back to using nothing at all! Bare floor.
Just scrape once a week. I have found things to be much better and less aggravation in the long run.
Regards,
Bill from NJ
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sundance
889 posts
Dec 04, 2008
1:48 PM
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I`m sticking with the horse stall pellets. Clean them out 2 or 3 times a year. I use the waste to fill low spots in the woods.
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Butch @
Sundance Roller Lofts
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Roll Down
38 posts
Dec 04, 2008
3:01 PM
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I am the same as Bill from NJ.
When I built my new loft this past summer I made sure the floors in the breeding sections were absolutely smooth and only nailed at the edges so when I scrape them out every few days ( I use a 8 inch trowel for wall board taping ) I don't hit any nails or knots etc.
Works for me anyways!
George
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Windjammer Loft
568 posts
Dec 04, 2008
4:49 PM
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For the past few years I've uses wood shavings or coarse saw dust on my solid floors. But in the spring of 2009,Iam gona try using plain old sand. I've read that bacteria can't grow in sand. Plus it's easier to scoop up the poop.
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Fly High and Roll On
Paul
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donnie james
63 posts
Dec 04, 2008
6:40 PM
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i use news paper some times feed sacks in the loft and fly pens and i got trays in the fly pens.........donny james
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PR_rollers
GOLD MEMBER
2049 posts
Dec 04, 2008
6:57 PM
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Paul I have use sand before and it was somehow useful as long as it can be kept dry because I tell you once it becomes damp it soon start to smell and I had to change it more often as it didn't give much protection.
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Ralph
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Electric-man
2155 posts
Dec 04, 2008
7:22 PM
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First, I used about 2" of sand to build the base, then I spread several cups of 7 dust and coated the sand, then used the 18"x18"x2" concrete blocks from Lowes and completly covered the floor. Then I take just a few handfuls of sand and toss across the floor. Just enough to feel grit under my boots when I walk. Keeps the poo from sticking well. Scrape the floors about once a month with a square nose shovel and a shop broom. Takes about 30 min to clean two lofts 8'x 8'. Throw 5 or 6 handfuls of sand down again and I'm done!
When I first started the base with the first few inches of sand, I made sure that I was a few inches above grade. Outside, I sloped the ground away from the loft on all sides and then put a couple inches of 3/4 inch gravel out for 3 ft or so. Water runs down and away. I even put a slight slope in the base sand so the concrete blocks wouldn't hold water.
Pretty satisfied with it! cost about $40 and a half days labor to do each one.
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Val
Last Edited by on Dec 04, 2008 7:22 PM
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Santandercol
GOLD MEMBER
3472 posts
Dec 04, 2008
8:54 PM
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Summertime when it is dry I just use the dried droppings scrape em up n spread em back around removing the excess.really helps keep the dust down.When the weather is damp in the late fall/winter/early spring those wood stove pellets along with planer mill shavings works good.Always spray some vinegar around on the perches,walls,floors,everywhere and that keeps everything smelling sweet.
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Kel.
Rum-30 Lofts
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brudahpete
280 posts
Dec 04, 2008
9:32 PM
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Santandercol, the vinegar thing sounds good, I'll try that tomorow.
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smoke747
1428 posts
Dec 05, 2008
8:12 AM
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Sani-coop used to work very well. Do any one know where I can find some?
smoke747
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Keith London
ICRC
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Square
619 posts
Dec 05, 2008
9:03 AM
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Dry stall and poultry powder on the floor has worked the best for me, I have found that absorbant from the auto part store works just as well and alot cheeper.
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"Home of the Ghost Town Roller"
K.C.R.C
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Pumpkin Man
27 posts
Dec 05, 2008
7:59 PM
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I've tried a little of everything too. In my breeding stalls I've tried Cedar shavings they blew around from flapping wings, same with straw, sand is ok but I have plywood floors and now use nothing at all. I clean them once a year, just got done today. I think a deep litter system works very well as long as it stays dry. This wouldn't work for a concrete floor as well. On concret I might use a combination of what's mentioned here with sand as a base. There was about 4 inches of dry poultry litter and my birds are all healthy with no meds. I do use straw or pine needles for nesting material though during breeding season. I believe the babies need some nest material if not you get more incidence of spraddle-leg babies. My kit boxes have welded wire 1"x2" floors with drawers underneath to catch manure and they work perfect. I would highly recommend the wire floors in kit boxes.
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Windjammer Loft
577 posts
Dec 06, 2008
12:58 PM
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Ralph....I guess I'll have to re-think the use of sand.
My floors are OSB board(rough finish)but I put a layer of heavy clear plastic down and then 2 layers of roofing paper. I sprinkle about 2 to 3" of saw dust or I use the same amount of wood shavings,they do alittle better job. I know the saw dust gets kinda messy sometimes. Back to the drawing board...lol
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Fly High and Roll On
Paul
Last Edited by on Dec 06, 2008 1:08 PM
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TimP
127 posts
Dec 06, 2008
1:39 PM
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Foy's loft dressing first, then the best thing I've used so far Bed'O'Cob it's ground up corncob.
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PR_rollers
GOLD MEMBER
2095 posts
Dec 07, 2008
9:25 AM
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Yea Tim I read that is the best..corncob..
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Ralph
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Electric-man
2162 posts
Dec 07, 2008
9:37 AM
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Paul, could you find some cheap linolium (sp)? You wouldn't have to glue it down, but just boarder it with 2x4s.
Just a thought
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Val
OU-Big 12 Champs!
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Windjammer Loft
580 posts
Dec 07, 2008
11:24 AM
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Val ...I have been giving my floor situation a great deal of thought.. Linolium, tile, finished panels of 4X8 plywood even the 4X8 panels that you put in for shower walls.. Eventually, I find a solution to this....lol
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Fly High and Roll On
Paul
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