Cleanliness

[GYSOT]

Ok so this coop is a mess, this was on the property when we bought a house. Do I need to scrape all of this mess out (2in deep buildup of who knows what) and start off with fresh straw? It seems to be helping hold in the heat that's for sure.

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[Mahlzeit]

I would definitely scoop it all out and start fresh. I use dead leaves for the floor in my coop it works great.

 

[azygous]

Oh joy! Lots of terrific compost there!

Okay. Now I'm going to be very serious. Don't even stir that mess up without wearing a very well fitted dust mask. Hanta virus, aspergilliosis, and plenty of lung destroying dust are real risks. Chickens have even more sensitive respiratory systems, so it goes without saying that it needs to be shoveled and cleaned out. But please do not expose your chickens to the premises without doing some smart things first.

I just got through posting on another thread where someone had just bought a farm and was facing something similar, but with the addition of a live flock of semi feral chickens that had never been properly cared for. I recommended feces samples be sent to a lab to identify the presence of Marek's or other contagious diseases that linger active in the soil and premises sometimes for very long periods and can be passed on to a new flock inhabiting the site. I urged this should be done before introducing any new chickens.

The reason I urge this is because my flock was infected with an avian leukemia virus somewhere along the way, perhaps even in the very beginning when I adopted two adult hens from a friend that had a coop that looked exactly like the photos you've posted. Now the disease is in my flock and I can't get rid of it.

Before you invite the same kind of heartache I've experienced, please take the time and spend a nominal amount of $$ and collect some feces and soil samples and send them to a lab for a quick test so you will know what you're dealing with.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

This is a very good article, it explains why and also gives some tips on cleaning hen houses.

http://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2014/04/07/cleaning-and-disinfecting-your-poultry-house/

Decontaminating your poultry house is crucial in order to prevent Marek’s disease, mycoplasma, respiratory viruses, E.coli, mites, and other poultry health problems. Even more important is the control of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE), especially in laying hens. There is also issues with Parasites, like mites lice cocci etc.


Good Luck, and CONGRATS ON YOUR NEW HOME!!!









@BantyChooks

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Hi! I have a couple of questions just to clarify...

The 20 birds; are they yours that you are bringing in? (that's what I'm understanding)...or
are they the birds that were there with the previous owners?

Are those you birds in the your pics? If they are...I would likely consider them already exposed.

If your birds haven't arrived at this new place...at the very least I would follow everyone's good advice on masks, cleaning out and disinfecting the coop and your yard.

But if it were me, and this may be extreme for some...seeing the type of walls (they look ribbed) and the floor (not smooth...open boards) and with the coop being 6X8 with holes in the walls....and taking into account you mentioned you'll be building another one or onto this coop...

I would take a match and possibly some diesel accelerant and burn it to the ground. If the yard site in the chicken area has longer grass...I'd do a controlled burn there too if you're in a rural area and if you're allowed to do this. Fire is a wonderful tool.

For me, the size of coop you have is fairly easily replaced and it'll probably take you less time to build or buy a new one than try to clean and disinfect this one. Then there are no questions as to the safety of your birds.. AND you can build one that meets your needs. If money is a question you can probably buy a second hand building that hasn't been used for poultry. This is from someone who was in charge of the disinfection in the farrowing section in a large hog production facility where we used rotated disinfectants and followed with bleach.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Those are a lot of good pics! It certainly does look like they didn't use much bedding.

I'm sort of surprised predators haven't breached the walls with the holes and such.

 

[FlyWheel]

<Snip!>
But if it were me, and this may be extreme for some...seeing the type of walls (they look ribbed) and the floor (not smooth...open boards) and with the coop being 6X8 with holes in the walls....and taking into account you mentioned you'll be building another one or onto this coop...

I would take a match and possibly some diesel accelerant and burn it to the ground. If the yard site in the chicken area has longer grass...I'd do a controlled burn there too if you're in a rural area and if you're allowed to do this. Fire is a wonderful tool.

For me, the size of coop you have is fairly easily replaced and it'll probably take you less time to build or buy a new one than try to clean and disinfect this one. Then there are no questions as to the safety of your birds.. AND you can build one that meets your needs. If money is a question you can probably buy a second hand building that hasn't been used for poultry. This is from someone who was in charge of the disinfection in the farrowing section in a large hog production facility where we used rotated disinfectants and followed with bleach.

I second that, although I wouldn't use diesel, it is too smokey and polluting, you would be sure to bring the local fire department down upon you. In fact you may need assistance from them (assuming it is even allowed where you are) to control the burn. You cannot sterilize wood, and no amount of cleaning will completely disinfect it. Fire is the only thing that is guaranteed to kill everything. Make sure it is completely burned, to the ground and let the hot embers stay until they are cool to sear it as well.

 

[FlyWheel]

Yes, South Carolina.

Just did a lot of reading for ventilation, man the coop they are in now sucks!!! There is none St all up high toilet air out! Which is why the ammonia smell is so bad. I've got some work ahead of me to get the current one setup properly while we start building the new one in about a month.

I'll share pics of the current one tomorr.

Clover! you're not far from me (I'm about 12 miles south of Chester)!

 

[GYSOT]

Update:

I made some progress today. I got some ventilation in and cleaned the floors.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

oh wow! it may be easier to put a new floor in! I would be worried about disease and your chickens. I would have gutted and sprayed everything.