Whats your favorite type of pigeon loft floor?

[backyard pigeons]

What is your favorite type of pigeon loft floor? There are many different options, and many different views. The pigeon loft floor is very crucial to the health of your pigeons, so it's important to think about ease of cleaning, cleanliness, and the material your floor is. So what is your preference in flooring? Please explain why.

I have gone back and forth. I used to like pine straw, but have found it is not absorbent. But, wheat straw is a very good and cheap option, which I am currently using. I have also experimented with bare wood floor, which started out very good, but I have found it is hard to maintain health.


The very best option I have ever tried is crushed corn cob. This stuff is unbelievable. It is highly obsorbant, and in small kernels. It is good on the pigeons feet, keeping them very clean. But, sadly it is not available in my area, and I am only able to get it when I am near a Rural King. It is more expensive, being $5 for 30 pounds, but it last a long time, so is well worth the money.

so what's your favorite? Cast a vote, and explain why!

 

[sourland]

I would love to hear anything else you can share about using this as deep litter in the loft. How often would you change it out?

I used at least 6 " of corn cob and would periodically rake the top to remove clumped feces and feathers. I was able to go at least 6 months. All water was provided outside in the aviaries to keep things dry in the loft.

 

[Old_Strain_Lover]

Bare wood for me. I have tried pretty much everything over the years, and only use wood floors which I scrape and sweep (and sometimes vacuum). All the deep litters harbor dust in them and it's not a good thing for the birds respiratory health (mold spores can grow in there too... especially in the humid climates), or the fanciers health either. Wire floors are good for cleanliness, but the birds don't wear down their nails on them and most likely might need to be trimmed if kept on them long term. Every type of flooring has both pros and cons, so each person will definitely have their own preferences. For me, it's wood floors all the way.

 

[sourland]

I agree with you about the ground corn cob. Three problems I have found with it - some is dusty and poor quality, good quality stuff is expensive, good quality stuff is not always available. I used it deep litter and really loved it.

 

[backyard pigeons]

I agree with you about the ground corn cob. Three problems I have found with it - some is dusty and poor quality, good quality stuff is expensive, good quality stuff is not always available. I used it deep litter and really loved it.

What brand did you use? I used Beck's "better bedding" is what it's motto is. It was good stuff, and not dusty.

 

[biophiliac]

I chose bare wood. I only have experience with bare floor and wood shavings which I found to be too messy. Based on the posts of @sourland and @backyard pigeons I might look for some crushed corn cob for a tryout this winter.

 

[Pigeon28]

I love the idea of a deep litter but at the end of the day I like the bare wood so I can inspect the droppings daily

 

[purslanegarden]

This year, I tried corn cob. It absolutely turns to mush when it gets wet. I didn't lke it because it totally looks like poop and I have no idea what is a poop area and what is not a poop area. I suppose it's good for composting though, once I removed it from the floor!

Now admittedly, there might be different brands that I could still try but haven't, or I could also try not to get so much big portions of it wet. Having water tray outside the coop or aviary would help in that regard.

 

[biophiliac]

Thank you @backyard pigeons . We do plan on having a roof, but we also get quite a bit of humidity up in the mountains. Sometimes we are up inside of the clouds. We wanted to do a walk in covered coop with nesting boxes that have sliding doors for when we need them, a small flight area, and the triangle style roosts.

My floor is 3/4 in treated plywood. No sign of rotting what-so-ever after three plus years. We also have a lot of humidity in the summers. I do scrape and remove the poop every day (or sometimes every other day). I store the poop in a bag and my neighbor takes it for his garden.

 

[sourland]

What brand did you use? I used Beck's "better bedding" is what it's motto is. It was good stuff, and not dusty.

Lord, it's been so long ago that I can't even remember where I got it let alone the brand.