# Wire Mesh-Wire Cloth



## rreff (Dec 1, 2013)

I've read in the forum that wire mesh/cloth is one of the bests ways to go for the bottom of the loft to allow feces drop thru. I'm looking to buy some and would like to know if anyone knows of an online dealer or one of the major retailer that might carry it in the 1/2" by 1/2" or 1" by 1" size. I haven't had much success looking thru home depot or lowes. Any help appreciated thanx.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Elevated wooden floor would be a best choice for me if I could afford scraping out the droppings daily or every other day...
Hope sm1 around will be around shortly to let you know about the nearest possible dealers

Welcome to your PT


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## rreff (Dec 1, 2013)

*wire mesh*

Yes the wooden floors are preferred by many but as you say the scraping is time consuming. I want to have a draw below the screening to catch the loose feces and spend more time with the birds and less with the droppings. thanx


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

IMO the droppings still stick to the wire mesh and 1/2 inch it will sit there and you will have to find a way to scrape/brush that wire. picture a BBQ grill brush and you on your knees..lol.. I would go with wood easier to clean. 

now with that said, some use metal grates that are heavy and have holes big enough for most of the droppings to go through, but Im sure the birds would like to beable to walk on the floor so IMO it would seem they would not like walking or trying to walk on it. plus mice can find their way in easier.
but that is just my opinion.

here is a link you may find helpful.
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f38/expanded-metal-floors-50344-2.html


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

i use 3/4" x 3/4" wire

They walk across it comfortably and I haven't found that the droppings stick to it and accumulate.

I think it depends greatly on where you live.

I would never have a wooden floor as I live in a very humid area.The wire mesh allows a good airflow, and keeps the droppings separate from the birds. Even just in the nest boxes I already have a problem of the droppings not drying fast enough for my liking, though I'm hoping once I remove the plastic waterproofing from that side of the loft it will add the circulation I need.


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## rreff (Dec 1, 2013)

All reasons sound good, but in relation to where I live, its Arizona, and I really won't have any problem with the feces drying out. I'm going to be having rollers and one of the things Pensom says in his book is that you basically want them on their perches, not on the floor, other than to eat or drink. So I'm pretty much going with mesh, just trying to find the best price and close to home. Shipping costs more than the wire cloth/mesh. Appreciate all replies, great to have options.


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## lg5555 (Aug 2, 2013)

*wire mesh*

Some people use the white wire shelving used for closets.


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## rreff (Dec 1, 2013)

*wire mesh*

Great suggestion, I checked it out online and it didn't exactly fit my loft but I did look at cubes shelves on Wal-Mart, that may make good nesting boxes.


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

I think both wooden floors and wire ones have their advantages and disadvantages. There are benefits and flaws in both and it really depends on what kind of system you're running.

I have a question on a similar note of cleaning. Has anyone tried newspapers in their breeding boxes?

In 2014 I'm going to have 24 pairs of pigeons, in 24 individual 2 ft X 2 ft X 2 ft pens. Feeding/watering I have a plan for, but the cleaning issue I'm still debating. I don't want to spend all my time cleaning those individual pens and fly tipplers and racing pigeon young birds at the same time.

Would newspapers be a good idea if I changed the papers say every 3rd day and none of their water spills on the newspaper (I'm going to be using pop bottle drinkers so there is very little chance of water spilling and getting the newspapers wet) ?


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

Revolution Lofts said:


> I think both wooden floors and wire ones have their advantages and disadvantages. There are benefits and flaws in both and it really depends on what kind of system you're running.
> 
> I have a question on a similar note of cleaning. Has anyone tried newspapers in their breeding boxes?
> 
> ...


again I think it depends on the humidity.

My first 'loft' was a 2 bird dove cot with all sides wood except for the front.
I used magazines and newspapers to line the bottom.

When I had a pair of racers which I flew everyday it was brilliant. Because they hardly ever shat on it. They would hold it in and poop outside.

When I later had a king mix in who was recovering and I did not let him out much, he made a mess of it. It was very difficult to keep him clean. And he was a fidgety bird and would scratch and peck at the paper, shredding it.

So for inside a breeding box, where you are confining the birds there all the time I would not recommend it because in my experience it absorbs the moisture and stays wet.

But again, I live in a very humid area. If you have a wire top, over the paper it would work better as the birds are not trampelling it


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## filters (Jul 18, 2011)

*Wire Mesh*

Wire mesh is absolutely the best way to allow both air flow and unwanted materials to flow --- 1/2" opening is a little large, I would probably aim for something a touch smaller, but nevertheless, I use 3 sources usually to find my wire mesh.

Be sure to compare and contrast pricing and ask for samples before ordering a large quantity:

Mcmaster Carr

http://www.bwire.com/index.html

www.grainger.com


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Only pigeons could tell what they like mesh or wooden floor...

Okay let's get deep...
Well droppings do get caught in mesh wire floor and they need to be brushed/scraped off. And the droppings would gather in the drawer which may make the loft smelly. It could attract vermins/bugs and could provide them with breeding grounds. Flies can lay eggs causing maggots to appear. It can also be a doorway for pests to enter the loft. Moreover,the parasites that suck blood from pigeons' bodies will get a place to hide and multiply in the droppings piled underneath the wired floor.

Choosing an elevated wooden floor is a better option not only because its comfortable for pigeons but it also helps to prevent the above mentioned thangs. And by scraping we can do the droppings away.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Revolution Lofts; said:


> Would newspapers be a good idea if I changed the papers say every 3rd day and none of their water spills on the newspaper (I'm going to be using pop bottle drinkers so there is very little chance of water spilling and getting the newspapers wet) ?


Hi Gurbir! Ki haal ae brar saab tuhada?
I have six breeding pairs so that makes six pens. I use newapapers to line up the pens and nests. I don't change newspapers until squabs hatch as my birds drop outside the pen as the cocks spend night on a nearby perch and hens go light in the morning only.. When the squabs are small I change the newspapers of 2 pens everyday. It becomes three day in rotation regime as the newspapers of 2 pens are changed daily. But when the squabs grow and they go poopy a lot then I change newpapers from all 6 pens every other day. Changing them take very less time,its just like changing the bedsheet every other day. Just some swipes with a soft brush is needed to catch the dander in the pan. But the bin gets full much early when you throw newpapers in it so its another trip to the dump ewwwww.
For rest of the loft(concrete floor) its the scraping that does the game


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Yea but water is kept away from the pens. As newspapers soak the water up and don't dry easily. They also prevent water to evaporate from the wooden surface of the pens as I use two layers of the newspapers.


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

Brocky I think he means to lock up the parents in the breeding pen

In this case both adults will be messing up the newspaper which is why I don't recomend it.

Also re wooden vs wire mesh floor - whatever floor you use you cannot leave the dirt accumulate.

A wire floor is not an excuse to be lazy and not to clean

I have 2 metal trays beneath the loft (4x3ft). The trays are 3" deep, then there is a 2.5-3" gap between the top of the tray to the wire mesh. 1" of this is completely open and allows a very good airflow over the droppings.

Doesn't smell, doesn't have flies (though I ahve yet to see it in summer). 

Wire is 3/4". Anything less and the droppings would get stuck and clog the holes. I was told this by the pigeon racers in my area, who mostly use wire.

I have not needed to scrape the wire yet.

Also I have both large and small breeds of pigeon on that wire and it does not bother them to walk on it. What I ahve done is put in a 3 2" bars along the bottom to stop droppings from going between the trays - and they like to hang out on them like ground level perches - but they also snuggle down and lie on the wire, so it definitely does not bother them.

The trays are lined with paper and filled with a thin layer of cat litter that absorbs the moisture really well.

I clean them out every week to 2 weeks depending on if I've given them a bath or for some reason they got more wet than usual.

And I do not inhale as much pigeon dust and dirt as it is held by the cat litter.

I do not like these tight fitting draws because they trap the air inside the draw. Mine are very open and do not smell at all.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Yes,actually I wanted to say that for small coop with limited birds newspapers could be used but newspapers in a big loft is lotta work. Because in big loft you need to scrape droppings regularly unless the sheer quantity of droppings from many birds would make the loft real messy.


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## renabailey (Dec 31, 2013)

*floor*

Ive tried all kinds of floors and have found everyone has its good points and bad points. The worst Ive used was cement, I just took out sand in one so I can wash and disinfect my loft. So Ill say wood is easiest for me I .just scrape it.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Revolution Lofts said:


> I think both wooden floors and wire ones have their advantages and disadvantages. There are benefits and flaws in both and it really depends on what kind of system you're running.
> 
> I have a question on a similar note of cleaning. Has anyone tried newspapers in their breeding boxes?
> 
> ...



Actually, newspaper works good in the nest boxes. Just lift the nest bowl to change the papers. I know others that have used them also.


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## njhntr (Jun 5, 2012)

*wire mesh*

Wire mesh loacate by fencing at Home Depot Next to garden center


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