Cleaning chemical exposed cages for chicks

[CoopAndFeathers]

I live on a farm and I often go looking in the barns and machine yard for things I can re-purpose and reuse. Well I was looking for a larger brooder or appropriate place for me to keep growing chicks and I found something that will work splendidly! It's a wire and wooden cage designed to be a brooder (I texted my mom about it and she said it was Gramps's old chick keeping cage (yeah it's a brooder lol). It's sturdy and I need to reattach a door to it so there really isn't a problem except that it's been kept in the barn where machinery and chemicals are kept. This means it definitely needs to be washed before putting it in with small chicks. The problem is, how do I properly wash it? Do I just spray it with a hose and nozzle or do I need to take further precautions? If so, what are chick-safe cleaning products to use without ruining the wood? Thank you!

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

As long as chemicals/gas/oil weren't spilled on it in copious amounts to where it totally saturated the wood, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Scrub it good with Dawn dish detergent, rinse it off really well, and let it dry in the sun for week.

 

[Parront]

Were the chemicals kept on it? Just near it in bags or barrels? Dusty chemicals or wet?
If it were just dust, hose it off in the yard good, let it dry in the sun a few days. If liquid chemicals or poisons have seeped into the wood, I would be cautious about using it. Wood -- painted or raw? Painted wood could have lead paint if it was built before the 80's. Lead paint would be a NO NO for me! Old raw wood and rusty wire, good to go!

 

[CoopAndFeathers]

Were the chemicals kept on it? Just near it in bags or barrels? Dusty chemicals or wet?
If it were just dust, hose it off in the yard good, let it dry in the sun a few days. If liquid chemicals or poisons have seeped into the wood, I would be cautious about using it. Wood -- painted or raw? Painted wood could have lead paint if it was built before the 80's. Lead paint would be a NO NO for me! Old raw wood and rusty wire, good to go!

Dust, they shouldn't have and it shows no signs of it, raw, and the wire is rusty but it won't fall apart haha. Thank you!

 

[CoopAndFeathers]

Welcome to BYC!

As long as chemicals/gas/oil weren't spilled on it in copious amounts to where it totally saturated the wood, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Scrub it good with Dawn dish detergent, rinse it off really well, and let it dry in the sun for week.

Thank you!

 

[Parront]

Dust, they shouldn't have and it shows no signs of it, raw, and the wire is rusty but it won't fall apart haha. Thank you!

Rust is ok, actually better for birds than galvanized. Too much zinc in galvanized wire, parrots cant have cages made of it, it is ok for chickens, though. (They don't entertain themselves by chewing on the wire)!

 

[Parront]

Being old is a plus, all chicken germs should be long dead!