[sb0088]

Hi All,
I'm looking at building a race loft here in Australia in the next couple months; but i'm unsure of how to do the flooring, wire mesh floor or wooden floor.
would like to know the good and bad for both.

I'm thinking mesh floor as cleaning would be less frequent and I don't have a lot of time,anyone with mesh flooring who isn't happy with it ?

Appreciate any ideas

 

[Whytpigeon]

Hi All,
I'm looking at building a race loft here in Australia in the next couple months; but i'm unsure of how to do the flooring, wire mesh floor or wooden floor.
would like to know the good and bad for both.

I'm thinking mesh floor as cleaning would be less frequent and I don't have a lot of time,anyone with mesh flooring who isn't happy with it ?

Appreciate any ideas

Mesh floor. The bad. Mice and snakes can squeeze in. You don't want those in you're loft. Cleaning under the loft is a major pain when the droppings get so deep they don't drop through anymore. What a gross place to stack up, right under you're nose. IMO. a wood floor that is scraped as often as you can and the droppings taken away from the loft to a compost pile is better. Also a wood floor keeps critters out. In turn keeps disease out as well. Mice carry paratyphoid. The mesh floor is a thought because of trying to make it easier on the keeper. A big operation who can hire people to work and clean perhaps if they are located where they have good rodent control, but IMO, for the average hobbiest use wood.

 

[sb0088]

Cheers for that Whytpigeon

 

[alby68]

I am extremely happy with my mesh floors, and believe my birds are healthy because of it. I had wood floors, first with sawdust, then with sand, and now have pvc coated wire on the floor, and will never go back to solid floors. plan for the droppings with pull out panels, and clean-up often, and it is a breeze. I am able to pay more attention to my birds because of the wire floors. I monitor the droppings in the nestboxes though.

 

[Whytpigeon]

I also have seen mesh flooring that needs to be cleaned because over time it cakes on. I sure would not want to be the one with the wire brush.

I know people who are happy with their set up, like above. Pull out panels are another thing to have to build , I can't see those for a large loft. A wood floor does not need sand or anything else. Just use a large paint scraper with a long broom handle, works quick. I sprinkle stall dry for horse stalls in the summer as humidity is higher, and that helps dry things up.

 

[c.hert]

I have both a wood floor that I clean everyday inside the loft and a wire mesh panel that is outside in the fly pen for I do not want them on the dirt. Just make sure the hard wire panels are measured good so that they will be light to pick up. I pick them up twice a year and turn over the sand underneath as well. I use rubber smooth mats on top of the hard wire in places and this helps make it soft for certain pigeons who need it to be soft..I spray the mats away from the fly pen and replace back about every two weeks after they are dry. I sweep them at other times into the mesh flooring outside in the fly pen. I like both...

 

[sb0088]

Thanks All for your input, think I might try mesh floor to begin with and if I'm not happy with it I can always go to my local hardware buy wooden flooring and put it over the top of the wire mesh.At least I get to try and see what the mesh floor is like.