# Need advises on Wire Floor



## pigeonslover (Mar 27, 2009)

Hello everyone on PT,
I am thinkineg on change my wood floor to wire floor but i heard it can loose your bird's form? Because since i don't have much time to scrape the floor so i am thinking it the way to go. My area can be very windy so..


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

the wire would have to be strong so you can walk on it..a metal grate floor may be better ..that is if you have the bottom enclosed so mice and snakes can not crawl up though it to get at the feed and the eggs and squabs.


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## shadowoak (Mar 19, 2011)

maybe just go to the feed store and buy bid blocks of shavings 7 to 8 bucks each . the shavings dry out the waste and make it easy to sweep , keep in mind im new to the hobby .


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

I have "NEVER" seen a loft that was 100% mice and snake PROOF.
SO--just learn to live with it.


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## flewthecoupe (Mar 28, 2005)

My loft has expanded metal flooring .

That's the wire floor with diamond shape
Holes.

I've had ply wood floors before and I got sick
Often from the smell and dust.

With wire floors I scrape the best boxes out
And let it drop threw the floor and my chickens pick up an loose food 
The pigeons throw out of the feeder.

My lofts seems dryer withe the wire floors due to the wire floor.

However during the cooler months of the breeding season my
Breeders prefer the higher nest boxes and avoid the row of
Nest boxes along the floor. I believe there is a bit more air flow 
Down low and not so warm but fine once the weather warms up.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

sky tx said:


> I have "NEVER" seen a loft that was 100% mice and snake PROOF.
> SO--just learn to live with it.



Well, the aim is to make it as rodent and snake proof as possible.


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## vivagirl (Jun 24, 2008)

The best wire floor is 1" by 1" second is 1" by.5" Try this for litter. Go to local Auto Supply Store and buy you a couple of bags of "Oil Dry". Make sure it's 100% clay. It's the same thing are Kitty Litter. Cover your floor with at least 2 inches. Rake out the clumps once a week. Ad more litter as needed. Happy Birthday. Vivagirl


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## PigeonVilla (Dec 8, 2010)

flewthecoupe said:


> My loft has expanded metal flooring .
> 
> That's the wire floor with diamond shape
> Holes.
> ...


just curious as to how much it cost you per 4x 8 floor panel for your floor ?that is if you care to share and where you got it from ?


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

What would happen if your floor was just sheets of that diamonded metal that I see in truckbeds and the like? Like this: http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-4847711-backgrounds-diamond-plate-sheet-metal.php


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## PigeonVilla (Dec 8, 2010)

Libis said:


> What would happen if your floor was just sheets of that diamonded metal that I see in truckbeds and the like? Like this: http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-4847711-backgrounds-diamond-plate-sheet-metal.php


diamond plate is a solid sheet with the ridges so nothing would happen but it would be very hard to scrape let alone use as a flooring .


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It would be impossible to scrape.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

PigeonVilla said:


> diamond plate is a solid sheet with the ridges so nothing would happen but it would be very hard to scrape let alone use as a flooring .


Yeah, you're right. I just figured it wouldn't hold dust/smells like wood. (Figured plain sheet metal would be too slippery.) 

My ideal loft in my head has always had waterproof walls and a cement floor with a drain somewhere that the birds won't get their feet into it. Then it could be scraped and hosed out and scrubbed with an organic cleaner like what our zoo uses, and then rinsed.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sounds good but people have had problems with cement floors as they hold moisture. Moisture grows bacteria.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Jay3 said:


> Sounds good but people have had problems with cement floors as they hold moisture. Moisture grows bacteria.


Wouldn't you just seal it? I'm pretty sure that's what the enclosures I used to clean that were cement bottomed were. They never held moisture and squeegied (sp?) dry pretty easily.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I don't know. The people who had problems didn't have sealed floors. I'll have to look for info on that. Interesting. Thanks.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Everyone thinks a wet floor will make the birds sick, this may be true if it stays damp long enough to cause bacteria to grow. If you wash a concrete floor and it drys right away and doesn't retain that moisture I think you will be OK


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## swagg (Feb 13, 2011)

This seems like it would fit your bill perfectly. 
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showpost.php?p=554592&postcount=19

This is the floor of the first loft that I did. The wire is just under the perch sections to allow the droppings to fall through. I used the 1/2'' by 1/2'' but If i were to do it over again I would use the 1/2'' by 1''. most of the droppings fall out of the loft, and there is virtually no dust.


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## flewthecoupe (Mar 28, 2005)

PigeonVilla said:


> just curious as to how much it cost you per 4x 8 floor panel for your floor ?that is if you care to share and where you got it from ?


Mcmaster-Carr 40-80 a sheet
Depending on thickness and size of holes


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

cement is fine for a flight aviary or someone who lives in a dry hot climate and has an open type loft for ventilation and breeze, because it is outside and can dry quicker.. hosing down inside a structure will get humid and stay damp.. water splashes on things and is not ideal IMO for some parts of the U.S.... dry dry dry is what you need inside... use a shop vac and a scraper.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

spirit wings said:


> cement is fine for a flight aviary or someone who lives in a dry hot climate and has an open type loft for ventilation and breeze, because it is outside and can dry quicker.. hosing down inside a structure will get humid and stay damp.. water splashes on things and is not ideal IMO for some parts of the U.S.... dry dry dry is what you need inside... use a shop vac and a scraper.


I didn't say it was perfect for everyone. Take it or leave it. 

It worked at a place where I volunteered. They use cement floors for all kinds of birds and mammals. Some have bedding or sticks to climb or hammocks to sleep in, but the base is sealed concrete that's easy to scrape if it's too cold to use water and an organic cleaning solution (it's so gentle that it's even safe for the little bats.) All the walls were painted with a sealant too. Never had a problem with it being too humid even here in Nebraska next to the river. If you only used the water in the summer and opened up so a breeze could go through, I don't see how there would be a problem. Also, one can use a large squeegie (the kind with a broomstick attached--like you sometimes use in barns/mechanic shops/etc.) to move the water to the drain and get the whole floor dry in about ten minutes. We did that a lot in areas that wouldn't dry on their own or where water tended to pool.

It's also how a lot of vet's offices are set up.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Libis said:


> I didn't say it was perfect for everyone. Take it or leave it.
> 
> It worked at a place where I volunteered. They use cement floors for all kinds of birds and mammals. Some have bedding or sticks to climb or hammocks to sleep in, but the base is sealed concrete that's easy to scrape if it's too cold to use water and an organic cleaning solution (it's so gentle that it's even safe for the little bats.) All the walls were painted with a sealant too. Never had a problem with it being too humid even here in Nebraska next to the river. If you only used the water in the summer and opened up so a breeze could go through, I don't see how there would be a problem. Also, one can use a large squeegie (the kind with a broomstick attached--like you sometimes use in barns/mechanic shops/etc.) to move the water to the drain and get the whole floor dry in about ten minutes. We did that a lot in areas that wouldn't dry on their own or where water tended to pool.
> 
> It's also how a lot of vet's offices are set up.


Your right, we have sealed concrete floors at work, we hose them of all the time then use a squeegee and the do dry in a short time. The sealer doesn't let the water soak into the concrete.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Libis said:


> I didn't say it was perfect for everyone. Take it or leave it.
> 
> It worked at a place where I volunteered. They use cement floors for all kinds of birds and mammals. Some have bedding or sticks to climb or hammocks to sleep in, but the base is sealed concrete that's easy to scrape if it's too cold to use water and an organic cleaning solution (it's so gentle that it's even safe for the little bats.) All the walls were painted with a sealant too. Never had a problem with it being too humid even here in Nebraska next to the river. If you only used the water in the summer and opened up so a breeze could go through, I don't see how there would be a problem. Also, one can use a large squeegie (the kind with a broomstick attached--like you sometimes use in barns/mechanic shops/etc.) to move the water to the drain and get the whole floor dry in about ten minutes. We did that a lot in areas that wouldn't dry on their own or where water tended to pool.
> 
> It's also how a lot of vet's offices are set up.


I know you did not say that it was perfect for everyone. .. I see nothing wrong with cement floors, they use them here at the kennel, they are hosed down and dry fairly quick but not all the way in certain places. from housing pigeons I just can't imagine it for an enclosed pigeon loft having to wet it down everyday here in the humid south east.. some members here do have them and they live in desert climates... Im sure there are more folks out there who can chime in and let you know if it is a good idea for a pigeon or dove loft where you live.


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