Litter?

[braden]

My floor is plywood, painted with exterior house paint. Stays fairly clean except just under the perches. Saw some had wood trim holding in pellets, litter, etc...

What is best to use on the floor under the perches for easy clean up? I put a pan of wood shavings, duh, it was so light that when the wings flap, the shavings go everywhere! Concept worked well tho, droppings do go in the pan. So, back to the think tank...

I read some use kitty litter. Is this standard, generic cat litter? Don't the birds peck at the litter? Isn't that harmful if ingested?

What are the pellets? I asked one member and got no reply.

Thanks in advance!

[Trees Gray]

I don't really use a floor litter, but I use a nice floor dressing that I put on the floor after it is scraped and swept up. It really keeps it smelling clean and disinfects and dries it out, also.

My plywood floor is not painted, however.

[braden]

Trees Gray, could you be more specific to what you mean by "floor dressing" (sorry, new to being owned by Pigeons)

[rfboyer]

My neighbor has unfinished wood loft floors and uses crushed corn cob for litter. It looks a lot like pellets. It's supposed to help dispel dampness, if I understand correctly...

I've been advised that it is a Very Bad Idea to use cat litter on the floor of a coop because it will do the pigeons a mischief if/when they eat it.

(please correct me if I have posted in error...)

[braden]

Originally Posted by rfboyer

My neighbor has unfinished wood loft floors and uses crushed corn cob for litter. It looks a lot like pellets. It's supposed to help dispel dampness, if I understand correctly...

I've been advised that it is a Very Bad Idea to use cat litter on the floor of a coop because it will do the pigeons a mischief if/when they eat it.

(please correct me if I have posted in error...)

this is what I was worried about. Had a dog years ago who snacked out of the litter box and ended up with poisoning from the clay. Corn cob, maybe that is what I've been thinking of and people refer to it as litter? Don't the birds try to eat this also?

[West]

Try all-natural wood pellets for pellet stoves. You could rake it around everyday and do a deep litter type set-up then clean it up at the end of the week, or after a couple of weeks.

[rfboyer]

Originally Posted by braden

Corn cob, maybe that is what I've been thinking of and people refer to it as litter? Don't the birds try to eat this also?

I don't think they eat much, if any of the corn cob, and I think it would only give them a few carbs (maybe) and some extra "dietary fiber"

"Litter" is any stuff you use as floor covering -- shredded paper, corn cob, sawdust, chips, hay/straw, sand...

[Jay3]

Well......you wouldn't want to use anything that would attract them to eat it. Even if the litter itself were not bad for them, they shouldn't be eating anything with poop on it. I would think that the corn cob would be good for this. The wood chips work well if it is in a place where the wing flapping doesn't scatter it too much. Maybe a bit of sand?

[braden]

Thanks!

Like the wood pellet type idea, that way the whole lot can head to the compost pile on cleaning day.

I really didn't think it was actual cat litter, but figured I would ask, it's the only way to learn. Really starting to enjoy the pigeon idea, got 3 more on their way and got my first suppliy order today. Very exciting!!!

[TerriB]

Congratulations, braden! Regarding cleaning up under the perches, you can get loft dressing (powder) from most pigeon supply places. A light sprinkle of that would keep the poops drier and easier to scrape up, with no added bulk of the litter to dispose of. I tried several different litter options (shavings, wood pellets) but ended up with plain floor, scraped regularly. I like being able to easily see if any of the birds are starting to have a problem - odd poops frequently being one of the first signs. Good luck!

[Jay3]

Originally Posted by TerriB

Congratulations, braden! Regarding cleaning up under the perches, you can get loft dressing (powder) from most pigeon supply places. A light sprinkle of that would keep the poops drier and easier to scrape up, with no added bulk of the litter to dispose of. I tried several different litter options (shavings, wood pellets) but ended up with plain floor, scraped regularly. I like being able to easily see if any of the birds are starting to have a problem - odd poops frequently being one of the first signs. Good luck!

I use Belgium white from foys. I really like it. As TerriB mentioned, it does keep it nice and dry. Smells nice and clean, and the poops do scrape up easier.

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by Jay3

I use Belgium white from foys. I really like it. As TerriB mentioned, it does keep it nice and dry. Smells nice and clean, and the poops do scrape up easier.

That is the one I use!

[lance_harmon]

Sand is the best litter. I dont use it but that is what i have read.

[kingsley hannah]

i like the idea of the belgum whit however nobody stocks it in nz so i too have experimented with diferent floorings and settled on a bare floor scraped once per week, i add dry sawdust under the purches and this seems to work well

[Jazzman]

Originally Posted by kingsley hannah

i like the idea of the belgum whit however nobody stocks it in nz so i too have experimented with diferent floorings and settled on a bare floor scraped once per week, i add dry sawdust under the purches and this seems to work well

Belgium white from Foy's is a great product. Really all it is though is chalk, like they use to stripe athletic fields. I've been meaning to ask at the feed mill if they have or can get chalk. The price comparison between the two might be interesting.