Intro and Loft Questions

[michbird]

Hi
I'm new here, and probably about as beginner as beginner can get. I have been searching the web and planning to get started with homers for about 3 years now. I finally have decided on the loft I want to build, and hoping to get started within the next couple of weeks. I am just NW of Flint, Michigan. Could someone help me with a few questions I have?
1) Loft Placement. Is there a particular direction the aviary/trap should face?
2) I am trying to decide between a welded mesh floor with hinged skirting(ease of cleaning, hinged skirting so can get under to rake, but still keep cold winds out)...or a wood floor. Any pro's and con's about either?
I'm sure I will have plenty more questions, but want to take it slow and cover all bases as I go
Thanks so much!

[Lovebirds]

Originally Posted by michbird

Hi
I'm new here, and probably about as beginner as beginner can get. I have been searching the web and planning to get started with homers for about 3 years now. I finally have decided on the loft I want to build, and hoping to get started within the next couple of weeks. I am just NW of Flint, Michigan. Could someone help me with a few questions I have?

The best way to face is south or SE or SW. You want them facing away from the northern winds that blow and to get the maximum amount of sunlight all year.

This is pretty much a personal choice. Of course there are pro's and con's and you'll get the full spectrum I imagine once people see your thread. I personally like the wood floors. They are more work of course, our lofts get scraped daily. Of course welded mesh floors wouldn't require that. Again, I personally like to walk in my loft and see what the droppings look like. Again, you don't see that with a wire floor. Your birds droppings can be the first tale tale signs of something possibly going awry and if you can't see them, something could take hold and get pretty bad before you know anything is going on. So, basically you have to decide. I lived in MI for 2 winters and I can't imagine having a wire floor as cold as it gets up there, but that's just me probably since I'm a southern girl and barely survived the 2 winters.
I'm sure I will have plenty more questions, but want to take it slow and cover all bases as I go
Thanks so much!

Hope this helps some........

[roxtar]

The best way to keep your floors clean is to hire someone to come and scrape them everyday.

[mr squeaks]

Originally Posted by roxtar

The best way to keep your floors clean is to hire someone to come and scrape them everyday.

Very funny, Roxtar! And who have YOU hired???

Shi & Squeaks

[roxtar]

Nobody yet but I do one day hope to be like some of these high dollar guys that have "loft managers".

EDIT: In the interest of actually contributing something to this thread, I'd like to say that if I had to rebuild both of my lofts again I'd go with the wire floors under the perches, but not the whole floor. Seems like the whole floor being wire would be too drafty and, as Renee' said, would not allow you to monitor the birds' dropping and thus taking away one possible indicator of illness.

[michbird]

Thanks, everyone! Some good points to consider, and I'm sure there'll be more. I will probably just go with the wood floor, though the grid under the perches sounds like a good idea too. There really is nothing better than seeing so many opinions from seasoned fanciers- How did anyone get along before the intranet?
Thank you!