whats the best floor dressing?

[kev01293]

after giving the loft a good clean out i covered the floor with a layer of kiln dried sand from b&q but after a couple of days the sand on the loft floor has become damp?  has anyone else had damp problems using sand?  i used kiln dried sand cos i was told that normal sand carries worms/bugs but the kiln dried sand doesnt as it is heat treated  :-/  im thinking that as it is kiln dried that its very absorbant and maybe its attracting moisture from the damp/rainy weather outside the loft?  any ideas anyone  kev :-/

[OLDYELLOW]

Hempcore is the best deep litter in my mind

[Guest joshdonlan]

Or easybed although i havent tried hempcore, but if Mark uses it its probs the dogs b's lol

[Guest youngzimmy]

never mind the deep litter a good skarp scraper is the answer

[Guest shadow]

if the sand got damp check the airflow through the loft if its sluggish that will let the sand get damp in muggy weather

[DUBLINFLYER]

never mind the deep litter a good skarp scraper is the answer

 

a man that knows what he likes..... great answer mate fairplay

[OLDYELLOW]

never mind the deep litter a good skarp scraper is the answer

 

i used to say the exact same thing scaped out twice a day everyday once a day in winter , my birds have never been so robust health wise

[Guest spin cycle]

after giving the loft a good clean out i covered the floor with a layer of kiln dried sand from b&q but after a couple of days the sand on the loft floor has become damp?  has anyone else had damp problems using sand?  i used kiln dried sand cos i was told that normal sand carries worms/bugs but the kiln dried sand doesnt as it is heat treated  :-/  im thinking that as it is kiln dried that its very absorbant and maybe its attracting moisture from the damp/rainy weather outside the loft?  any ideas anyone  kev :-/

 

i wouldn't think the sand would attract moisture from outside...i tried sharp sand and used to find it dried out and started blowing about ..bare boards or deeplitter products ( like previous posts suggest )...i could never get on with sand (JMO)

[jimmy white]

yes i belive the old scraper is best,, but sometimes folks have a dissability or even work awkward times,, some just like deep litter  , but any deep litter  is    ok [just your preferance]  but as long as its bone dry ,, any dampness in deep litter is a haven for cocci and worms ,,,, but bone dry,, no probs

[DOVEScot]

We used builder sharp sand and stalosan F, it dried out no problem, the only thing was the crap stuck to it, we are now on easybed and stalosan, just keep raking it and sprinkle fresh stalosan over it

[Guest IB]

Dryness of deep liiter does seem to attract moisture from the air circulating thro the loft. Think its down to humidity levels, if air outside the loft is saturated with water droplets, stands to reason it'll be much the same inside it.

[Guest youngzimmy]

if there is the slitest damness in your floor boards kiln dried sand is sure to draw it out you would have to keep replacing it untill it eventualy stayed dry

[harky]

have used cat litter in the past but found it stuck to your feet when wet and trailed every where ,noticed one fancier i know had wind dust on his hut floor and he said it was as good as any deep litter hes tried

[van Roberts]

i would not use sand when it drys out just look under the birds wattle you will see a crust of sand in there cant be good for birds

[Guest]

I use 4-6" of easibed & hemcore mixed together also add lime to the mix

[DOVEScot]

have used cat litter in the past but found it stuck to your feet when wet and trailed every where ,noticed one fancier i know had wind dust on his hut floor and he said it was as good as any deep litter hes tried

 

Versa laga now sell granuals similar to cat litter, £70 a 30l bag, but found it the same, stuck to your feet very easily

[Guest youngzimmy]

dry floor no dressing is best at least you can see any problems easily ie wet droppings and any unwanted things like mouse droppings and creepy crawlys i think the birds health is better with bare clean boards

[DOVEScot]

Dryness of deep liiter does seem to attract moisture from the air circulating thro the loft. Think its down to humidity levels, if air outside the loft is saturated with water droplets, stands to reason it'll be much the same inside it.

 

We never get any dampness in our lofts no matter how damp it is out side, like I have said before protect from the southwesterlies  

[andy]

Wooden floor grilles are best if you toil for time or daylight to clean out. Although I lift mine every weekend to clean out.

[The Navigator]

I use kiln sand and loft treatment mixed. Never had any issues.

[Guest IB]

 

We never get any dampness in our lofts no matter how damp it is out side, like I have said before protect from the southwesterlies  

 

Know what you are saying, but in my case its the back and gable end which take the south westerlies. Both are solid brick, with 9 plastic louvre-style ventilators along top of back wall. Tiled Pent roof, ventilated ridge; front faces east and is covered with keeps rain out-lets air in system sold by Petron Lofts.

 

I have internal temperature and humidity gauges located at opposite ends of loft and their readings are much same as ambient weather conditions outside.

 

Litter is now reduced to a scattering under perches, and have bought myself a 12" scraper   All a need now is a JCB to fit it to.  

 

 

[DOVEScot]

 

Litter is now reduced to a scattering under perches, and have bought myself a 12" scraper   All a need now is a JCB to fit it to.  

 

 

Naw you need a woman like Chickadee  ;D ;D ;D

 

 

[cemetary]

I use floor granules, they are good, i find them to be one of the best i have ever used, i have tried wood chips, the stick to your feet like hell.

[Guest Freebird]

Have used the kiln sand for around 6 months after a tip from Dovescott and I'm very pleased with it. Don't have any problem with damp at all so your loft must be leaking somewhere. I seive the sand every day except when I'm on the day shift (12 hours) in winter but just because that's the way I like it and it only takes 10 mins. I prefer this to bare boards but purely cosmetic as I like the look of it and the birds think they're on their holidays(evil)

[Guest]

Hempcore is the best deep litter in my mind

 

Excuse my ignorance Mark, what's Hempcore please?