I will be getting 15 more new babies by Thursday of this week. I have 2 feeders from a previous flock of hens and was wondering what do I disinfect these feeders with before getting the new chicks. I bought a new waterer for them as I'm still using the old one for my ladies. Thank you for any input.
You can look at this link and decide for yourself what you want to do: http://www.shopthecoop.com/id88.html I reently purchased a disinfectant from McMurray Hatchery that they use in their hatchery but you probably don't have time to order. Are the feeders your only concern? What about the brooder that you are putting them in? Household chemicals are not recommended for such cleaning, especially bleach.
I bought a new brooder-a water trough that is galvanized. We used an old clawfoot bathtub for the older hens I have now. We have since gotten rid of those tubs. Still don't know what to use. I'll see what our local hardware store recommends since I have very little time to find something to clean those feeders.
Please be careful when using chemical disinfectants for various reasons. It's appropriate for some uses but not a good idea for others. Keep it simple and not to toxic. One example is that it is ok to use a chlorine disinfectant for the eggs, incubator,equipment, however not good in the housing. I would make sure the person knows what affects chickens. The best source anyone can use is the Chicken Health Handbook, by Gail Damerow. This a must have for any serious backyard chicken fancier. bigzio
As a retired doc, I can tell you this: regular household (3%) hydrogen peroxide will kill all the organisms that one has to worry about. What's more, it is dirt cheap and you probably already own a bottle. Put some in a sprayer, and after cleaning the feeder completely, spray it down with the 3% spray thoroughly. Spray it good, and then do it again. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then you can rinse well and dry. For all intents and purposes, the feeder will now be sterile. Brian