# Loft Cleaning



## Kabootarbaaz (Dec 15, 2013)

What do you use for loft cleaning ? How often do you clean it ? Is it harmful to the birds in anyway ?


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## Pollo70 (Jan 3, 2012)

I scrape the perches every day then scrape the floors and clean the loft every 4 days then every 2 weeks I throw Belgium, blanca floor dressing powder. spray the perches and corners with white vinegar with a spray bottle that's how we do it at J-loft


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## Peavy (Mar 24, 2013)

I pressure washed my loft last week after deworming. I line nesting boxes with newspaper, floor is wire, perches seem to stay clean. I do a thorough cleaning spring and fall. In between, I just clean out nesting boxes and anything else when it gets bad. Perches are small tree branches and will just get replaced if dirty. Litter underneath I keep aerated to help it decompose, and remove it when it builds up.

I've thought about using bleach and lime in the coop, but in the end never bothered. If there was serious illness in my flock, I'd probably quarantine those infected, let the rest fly, and pressure wash, then spray the loft with watered down bleach using a garden sprayer, and again pressure wash.

I think just as important as a clean loft is clean birds. My birds seem to bathe whenever they have the opportunity. I give them a 2-3 gallon tub at least once a week, and always the day of a release. I think they know when they're released they will be able to bathe upon returning.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Kabootarbaaz said:


> What do you use for loft cleaning ? How often do you clean it ? Is it harmful to the birds in anyway ?


I use a scraper and sprinkle stall dry or sweet pDZ for horse stalls in there on humid days. thats it. disenfecting a loft really does not have to happen unless you had a disease spread or get allot of new birds that you don't quarantine properly. how often you scrape the poop out depends on how many birds you have and what size loft you have, if more than half the floor is coverd in fecal waste in one day then you need to scrape everyday. IMO


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## ozarkbill (Aug 17, 2008)

I have always liked the 3-4 inch cover on the floor using oil dri for litter and also i use wood shavings [pine] used for horses. I clean this once a year and rake it if a pile gets built up. Research deep litter for pigeons. I think it's healthier than super clean because immunities build up in the birds.Super clean is like to much antibiotics it builds a weak immunity.


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## Kabootarbaaz (Dec 15, 2013)

*Clean Perches and corners with white Vinegar*

In this thread and others, I read that people spray white Vinegar to clean perches and corners. I found Cleaning-Vinegar (white) at home-depot that I plan to spray on the perches. 

Do you dilute the Vinegar or spray as-is ? Is it harmful in anyway to the birds or young chicks ? 

Thanks!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

White vinegar helps, but I'd rather use a disinfectant cleaner now and then. I use Tek Trol. Bleach for instance, needs to be done after you have washed the area, as it won't disinfect soiled areas. And the fumes are hard on the birds. Tek-Trol both cleans and disinfects the area. And the fumes aren't strong. I'm sure the vinegar will help, but don't use it that way, so don't know how strong people use it. I would think you would mix it in some water though, as the smell will be pretty strong. Sure someone will come in who does use it.


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## fishbone (Nov 24, 2013)

i'll second, the Tek Trol.
works great, dries fast, and not much smell at all.


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## HeavyDlofts (May 23, 2012)

18-8 Stainless Steel Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw, 1/4"-20 Thread, 1" Length, packs of 25


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

HeavyDlofts said:


> 18-8 Stainless Steel Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw, 1/4"-20 Thread, 1" Length, packs of 25


What are you referring to? Did you post this by mistake?


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## HeavyDlofts (May 23, 2012)

John_D said:


> What are you referring to? Did you post this by mistake?


Yes I did, sorry about that


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