Baking soda for odor control! It works!

[FenDruadin]

Thanks, guys! I also believe it is incredibly safe. However, in the enclosed environment of the brooder, where they are on it 24 hours a day, I think there is potential for it to burn them a little. One of mine has rough, slightly cracked little feet after two days on it, which may--and probably is--just normal growth peeling, but I don't want to take a chance on it.

We're now at around 8 hours on the bedding with baking soda UNDER the bedding, and the smell is not noticeable.

 

[T Hi]

YEAH!!!!

I put some in the Penthouse suite of the Walduck Astoria today. I put it under the shavings and mixed it a bit so we will see!

I wonder if it would work if I sprinkled it on the sand/gravel mix in the run area? Even if I hose it down everyday it would still just mix in, right?

 

[FenDruadin]

Once you wash it down, you'll have to add more baking soda--it will wash away.

Let us know how it works!

My brooder stinks a LITTLE this morning, but it hasn't been cleaned in over 24 hours, so even under the bedding the baking soda makes a huge difference. I'm out of baking soda though...

 

[T Hi]

I was at Costco and they do sell baking soda in large quantity! YEAH!

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

T Hi - how big a thing? My sister has this big box thats about the size of a laundry soap box - lol. But she said she'd seen them bigger - had to be costco she's a member there and shops there all the time. Think I will need to get her to get me some more bulk items again *snickers*

 

[FenDruadin]

Awesome--It think I'll head over there this afternoon. I need some other stuff anyway.

And whew!! It really does make a difference--I went out with a girl friend last night and left the ducks to my husband. I was in a hurry so I didn't add the baking soda, and the brooder STINKS this morning. I've got a little left in a box, but I'm headed for the BIG BOX this afternoon.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[T Hi]

Ya they were about the size of laundry soap boxes but depending where you live they may differ. I am in Washington State. So far, so good in the Penthouse Suite!

iamcuriositycat you have started a good thing!

 

[Wheels]

My wife and I give our coop a good cleaning every two weeks. Put down a cup and a half of DE and the smell is under control.

 

[Summer Rose]

Hello, I just Googled baking soda and found several places that you can buy in bulk. One site is SG or spelled out it
Soap Goods. You can buy up to 2000 lbs. they may be other sites as well. That really sounds good to me because I
too use it for cleaning and getting rid of odors in the house. Will have to think a little more about it and would like
to make sure that it wouldn't hurt the chicks, yet I don't see why it would.

 

[HauiBali]

Call me mad but I like the smell of my ducks' poo. Not that I would design a perfume from it but the smell tells me they are healthy, not a disgusting smell at all.
I clean their house every 2nd/3rd day with high-pressure clean water (it scrapes off the lime from the walls if I'm not careful), when I change the water in their pond (not very deep, half an hour and all is done). An inch of straw is all I use for bedding, and when it becomes dirty I just rake it out and burn it in an iron barrel.
The ash is scattered around our fruit-trees and rosebeds, we have acidic soil* so it helps with nutrients from the poo and maintaining a better pH-value.
*Ducks eat moss but we do not want moss in our garden.

Maybe the ash - made from used straw - can be used for the bottom layer of bedding too against odors, it comes free, not like baking soda or other chemicals.
I will try it when the bedding will be thicker in the cold months.