De-germing re-purposed coop materials? Anyone done this?

[fiddlechicken]

Hi, there, fellow Chickeneers!

I am considering re- using a friends now abandoned coop parts as I build my first coop- but what gives me pause is sanitation concerns. As far as I know, her flock was disease free, but then again, she wasn't the most dedicated of coop cleaners, either. This is first time as a chicken keeper, so obviously, I want to give my babies the best start possible. I am thinking about different disinfecting methods, and frankly, not sure how to best go about it. (I just keep getting this visual of me dragging mangy old hardware cloth into the house, plopping it into the tub and dousing it with something noxious- which isn't my normal MO, at all- I'm all about organic and chemical free, as much as possible.) Am I being too paranoid, here? I'd love to hear any thoughts folks might have- and many thanks!

 

[Sonya9]

It depends on the TYPE of material you are trying to disinfect. Bleach is always a good go to disinfectant as long as you can let it dry out. Since the coop is NOT in use that should be a problem.

Another favorite among small animal keepers (that have to be worried about odor and toxicity) is vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. Vinegar alone doesn't kill much but combining the two kills germs very effectively. Trick is to have a spray bottle of each, spray one and then immediately spray the other and let it sit for a few minutes. You can rinse with water afterwards. Do NOT mix the two in one bottle as that changes the chemical nature and it becomes toxic, always keep the vinegar in one spray bottle and the hydrogen peroxide in another. Unlike bleach the odor disappears quickly even on porous surfaces.

If you are trying to disinfect wood that is harder because it is so porous. I would probably give it a good scrubbing down with bleach/laundry soap and after it dries paint it with a nice washable semi-gloss to seal in any "nasties".

 

[Irishhenman]

I would bleach the wood and give it a good scrub inside and out. Then put in an insecticidal smoke bomb (not the exploding kind of bomb don't worry, they are brilliant for a very thorough killing of all crawling parasites that might be there. Then I would use a poultry disinfectant in a power sprayer like F10 or Virkon S to get some of the diseases the bleach might have missed. Finally I would paint it with a mixture of lice and mite powder for a long lasting treatment. Then if you are going weather proofing any wood use creocote.

Also just as a side note chemical free is impossible

 

[fiddlechicken]

Thanks, everyone. This helps- and yes, we will definitely be painting the inside of the finished coop to create a less porous surface. I am a bit of a clean freak, so I appreciate that sometimes, ya just gotta disinfect more intensely than more "natural" products allow.
Which makes me conclude that maybe just starting with fresh materials might be the best option for our birds longtime health... I shudder at the thought of unwittingly bringing disease to my otherwise healthy flock.

Thanks again, everyone!