JC
19 posts
Mar 17, 2010
8:10 AM
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It always amazes me how clean everyone loft, show pens, perches etc. are in pictures. It is as if most loft appear to be new or freshly painted or new wood. I try to keep mine clean but they never never never look as good as most.
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Pogohawk
67 posts
Mar 17, 2010
8:29 AM
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I think that is partially due to pictures being mostly of new kit boxes and lofts. But also cleaning on a daily bases I feel is key to the well being of our birds. Im fortunate enough to be able to scrape my loft every afternoon, I don't think most people have that sort of time though.
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JMUrbon
987 posts
Mar 17, 2010
8:58 AM
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As far as what you see in pictures, you will usually see pics that have been staged. I mean cleaned prior to the pic or of new construction. Be aware however that scraping the loft daily is more for your conscionce(sp) than it is for the health of the birds. Remember that pigeons require a certain amount of what is called healthy bacteria. You are fine to scrape but dont disinfect unless their is an outbreak of some sort.
A small layer of dried poop on the floor will act as a good moisture barrier. I use the wood pellets and clean them out when they start breaking down.
Just remember too clean can be as bad as too dirty. Joe
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J.M.Urbon Lofts
A Proven Family of Spinners
http://www.freewebs.com/jmurbonlofts/
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1680 posts
Mar 17, 2010
1:49 PM
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I clean when the lights go on and touch up later in the afternoon. I scrape every perch, sieve the sand on the floors. Change the papers and scrape the perch's in my crown cages daily. I disinfect the water containers once a week with a mild bleach and water bath. Fresh water every day, period. I deep clean twice a year by removing all of the birds from their pen, wetting the perches and scraping down to wood. I then spray with a mixture of one part water, one part vinegar. I allow all the time needed for the pen to completely dry before any birds are placed back in the pen.
Not the only way, just my way.
Thom
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donnie james
975 posts
Mar 17, 2010
4:29 PM
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hay jc,
i just got done cleaning my fly box and my folks cleaned my breeding loft since i'm not to go in until my ulcer heals up and its almost healed up and in the summer time i clen my fly box and breeding loft once a week regaurless if they need it or not and i need to put a fresh coat of paint on the fly box and the breeding pen and i haven't made up my mind what color to paint them..............
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Donny James
"Fly The Best And Cull The Rest"
"Saying One Thing;Doing Its Another"
"Keep Your Head Planted In The Sky And Wings Spanned Wide"
1996 Piedmont Roller Club Lifetime Achievement Recipient
Portsmouth Roller Club Participation Award System Recipient 1994 '96 '97 And 2000
2001 Limestone,Ohio Sportsman's Club Lifetime Member Recipient
2002Portsmouth Roller Club Certified Judge
2004Portsmouth Roller Club Lifetime Member Recipient
"Miss Portsmouth"NBRC/90/J311 Rusty Dun Check Self Hen First Bird To Get Certified In Portsmouth Roller Club History With A Score Of 53 Judge By Joe Roe The 1993 World Cup Winner And John Bender The 1994 World Cup Winner
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TheGame
707 posts
Mar 17, 2010
5:25 PM
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Everyone probably takes the pics after they have just cleaned their lofts or kitboxes so it looks new!! LOL
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Scott
2920 posts
Mar 17, 2010
8:48 PM
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When there is moisture in the air I stay on top of it pretty good.. when we are in the bone dry heat of Summer I let it go unless company is coming... when it is dry it simply doesn't matter.
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Scott Campbell
" God Bless "
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Squabby*32
247 posts
Mar 17, 2010
9:22 PM
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Good way to look at it scott. When it is dry weather, I never had a smell from their poop eminating from the loft.
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DJJeffman Spinners
ATAPWGIYAHTLY
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Scott
2921 posts
Mar 17, 2010
9:44 PM
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Jeff .. in our dry heat it is dry before it hits the floor.. it makes a good litter in Summer.
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Scott Campbell
" God Bless "
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rtwilliams
GOLD MEMBER
613 posts
Mar 17, 2010
9:57 PM
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I find it interesting that some clean daily. I am not sure that is the most healthy. I know a few people with top notch birds, that are healty that only clean once a year. And at that they only take a few inches They have told me thier birds are healthier than when they cleaned everything all the time.
I am in the middle, I get to it every few months. I design my kit boxes not to need to be scraped, etc..
But if I post a picture I usually clean up a spot so it looks good.
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RT Williams
Last Edited by on Mar 17, 2010 9:58 PM
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pat66
492 posts
Mar 18, 2010
4:14 AM
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Major cleaning of loft 2 times a year- spring & fall, good cleaning of nest boxs after each hatching,perchs weekly, spring - I pressure wash whole loft and kit boxs with a clorox mixture, and let dry, I too, have a healthier loft and dryer with a inch of droppings in the breeder loft
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ECRA
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bman
751 posts
Mar 18, 2010
4:57 AM
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I know when I clean mine top to bottom they still are not as clean as Thom's.lol
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Ron
Borderline lofts
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tucknroll
54 posts
Mar 18, 2010
5:59 AM
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Keeping a well kept loft is a neccessity first and foremost to you the manager than second to the birds.If you go with the Levi system of 3 to 6 inches of dry droppings you must rake and turn it at least twice a week. I know of some that use the corn cob flooring method with good results however if you get any moisture under the top layer you are up %$$% creek without a paddle.. If you don't dump and clean your nests after every round you are just askinf for paratyphoid and other ameniable diseases to enter the nes set of eggs layed. Having said that more importantly use precaution by cleaning with the safety devices such as eye protection and respitory protection. No doubt being to clean can be a detriment in and of itself as your birds will not have developed a resistance to any common denominators that exist in pigeons in general and will come down with a serious bout of whatever they become exposed to either by feral birds and or introduction of new birds to the loft without quarrantine. More importantly is to consider what the public think of pigeons in general. "Rats with wings" If you live in a neighborhood its only the right thing to do and keep your lofts clean so there's not a future problem with excessive flys and stench. Man up if your just lazy instead of compromisng and using excuses as to why you keep a *&&* hole!! Just some thoughts.
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Oldfart
GOLD MEMBER
1682 posts
Mar 18, 2010
6:35 AM
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Ron, I have not had the pleasure of visiting your loft but I would bet IT'S CLEAN!
tucknroll, Well said! My brood loft is less then 50' from my neighbor front porch. I live on a hill just before the top and there is always a prevailing wind that blows in there direction. All they have ever said is that they like to listen to the cooing sounds they make and that they like to watch them fly.
The first reaction people have when they enter my loft is "Oh, I thought it would stink in here!" and then "Look how pretty they are!" (mostly the ladies on the last quote)
I'm retired and have the time but I am also driven for the birds. Living in your own crap is not natural or fun and when the day comes I can't care for them as I do now, I'll give them up.
Thom
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Scott
2923 posts
Mar 18, 2010
7:07 AM
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My past experiance with many of those that want to champian Levis deep litter is that it is used to not clean ever..all the deep litter lofts "I've" seen are complete pig stys.
The fact is in Summer I just get lazy due to it due to it doesn't hurt anything.. but make no mistake.. it is for no other reason than Summer allows me to be on the lazy side.. I still clean.. but not as often.
Nest areas are cleaned as needed..I don't think that lofts can be too clean within reason.. but they certainly can be to dirty.
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Scott Campbell
" God Bless "
Last Edited by on Mar 21, 2010 9:05 AM
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PR_rollers
GOLD MEMBER
3598 posts
Mar 18, 2010
8:55 AM
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Good post Tuck, I scrape my kitbox everyday and if I'm flying young birds twice than twice I scrape.its a habit so it becomes second nature.I have been doing this since I can go way back .I made a picnic table and its right in front of my loft and kitbox so when we sit there you would never know I have birds its always clean .the dropping that falls to the ground I rake when I see its time could be two weeks or 3..but no one see that because I have a white fence that surrounds the kitbox bottom to keep cats out.....I spray white vinegar,or a spray water mix with garlic keeps mosquitoes at bay.. the nest bowl I clean when I see there is craps around the edge of bowl clean nesting when needed.now I'm retire but so what when I use to work I would come home and clean everyday 30 birds I kept in separate cages in my apartment back in NYC.and I don't medicate.the birds are doing fine..
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Ralph.
Pigeons are not our whole life, but they damn sure make our lives whole!" ~
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JC
20 posts
Mar 18, 2010
11:04 PM
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I kinda figured that most people would not take pictures of a dirty loft just like most wouldn't take pictures of a dirty car and show it to anyone. I don't have time to clean every day but I do try to do it at least every other week during the summer. More often during the winter. Do most of you have cement floors? I have brick with approx. 1/2in dirt spacing between them. Kinda hard to scrape. I'm thinking of removing the brick and putting cement but I'm concerned about water or moisture being trapped in the loft. It would be hard for me to put a drain because I have a 4in deep footing around the perimeter to keep rodents from getting in.
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