The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Housing, Health & Hatching

Raising chickens stinks.......literally!!!!

(1/3) > >>

Brice Acton:
Today I thought it would be a good idea to clean the barn out since it was pouring down rain outside. The barn has been shut up since last fall to help retain any heat and now the smell of ammonia is unbearable. I have heard the old timers talk about using dehydrated lime to control the smell in hog barns and also help dry up the bedding. Does anyone know if line can be used around chickens? Has anyone done this before? After it is cleaned I will post pics of my setup to get any and all suggestions on improving it.

Mike Gilbert:
I have been using barn lime on the concrete  floors of poultry pens for about 30 years.   It is sprinkled on after a clean-out, and then a layer of fresh pine shavings goes down.   It does help dry up the moisture and neutralizes some of the ammonia.   I have observed no ill effects from using it.    I have noticed those 50 lb bags have gotten heavier over the years.   ;)

Brice Acton:
Thanks Mike. Then I will pick some up when I head to dinner. Now only if I could snap my fingers and the feed room, the breeding pens, the aisle way and the layer pen all be cleaned my life would be great.

DeWayne Edgin:
If you get any type of worms that breath through their skin like maggots or what ever, lime is a good way to kill them and some other unwanted germs to. I use lime alot. It works real good in areas were you set your chickens water and under their roost to.

Schroeder:
Here's my problem with lime.  I compost all the litter and add it to my garden.  The soil already tends towards alkaline, and I don't want to make it worse.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page