For Marek's clean up, is DC& R just as good as Oxine as a disinfectant?

[Haunted55]

I think you have it covered right now. If you Oxine it a few days ahead of when they are going into it, you should get any stray virus or something that came in on the wind. The thing to remember, they are going to be exposed because it's out there. The trick is to make sure the exposure is done in small amounts so their bodies can handle it and build resistance. You will always second guess yourself now, lol, I know I do. It's just the way it is. As time goes on, you will become more comfortable with it all but your eyes will always be searching for something that isn't quite normal. Whatever that is, lol! I'm not even sure I know anymore. To me, my birds are happy, as healthy as they can be, lay eggs daily and beg me for bread whenever they are ranging. Seems pretty normal to me...but under it all, they have a potential to have an outbreak or be taken by another illness because of what's inside them. Maybe it's weird, but I kinda think we are the lucky ones. We know that nothing is to be taken for granted, our birds seem a little off, we're on it and treat immediately. We've learned to wait and see isn't always the best option for our birds.

 

[schnebbles]

Just found this thread - is lime dangerous to the chickens? I would like to try (if I get an opportunity since it's getting cold) to rid my yard and coop of any traces of mareks virus that might be out there.

I can't hardly till it in to the whole yard tho (even tho our yard is tiny), I'd have a yard of mud! which might not be bad since it's mostly weeds, but with the chickens, Im not sure how easy a new lawn would be to grow.

 

[pigcoon]

I believe Haunted55, who has so much expertise, said to have the lime rest for a week before exposing chickens to it. There may be more instructions on the bag label. Are you treating disease/Mareks, or using the lime for some other reason?

I wanted to update, that my new flock is doing very well in the coop. I know it is still early in the process, and they haven't had any stress yet (save a raccoon or two crawling around on the top of their coop), but there are no signs of illness of any kind. They have started laying--in the cute little egg stage---and they seem healthy and happy as can be!!

 

[Haunted55]

I believe Haunted55, who has so much expertise, said to have the lime rest for a week before exposing chickens to it. There may be more instructions on the bag label. Are you treating disease/Mareks, or using the lime for some other reason?

I wanted to update, that my new flock is doing very well in the coop. I know it is still early in the process, and they haven't had any stress yet (save a raccoon or two crawling around on the top of their coop), but there are no signs of illness of any kind. They have started laying--in the cute little egg stage---and they seem healthy and happy as can be!!

Ah Pigcoon, I am so very glad to see this! You've made my day. The lime can be done two ways...it can be applied quite heavily and then tilled into the soil, down a good 8-10 inches, more is better, or you can do the topical application. I use both. I also use wood ashes in the same manner and it is added to their dusting box for control of Marek's, mites and lice.

 

[schnebbles]

Haunted is definitely most helpful!! and glad to see her back

does lime hurt the chickens if I were to do topical? I guess I could look that up on line.

I'm very glad to hear your new ones are doing well!

 

[Haunted55]

Haunted is definitely most helpful!! and glad to see her back

does lime hurt the chickens if I were to do topical? I guess I could look that up on line.

I'm very glad to hear your new ones are doing well!

Well thank-you for that, lol, but all I can do is try to help. Now for the lime...if you perchase a barn lime, no it doesn't hurt them. I know that you can use a hydrated lime but you really should scratch it into the top of the soil. I am not sure right now just what the differences are but do know, I have used the barn lime with mine with no ill effects at all. I also use it with my ducks and geese and if anybody were to have issues with it, it would be them as their feet are more skin like than a chickens. I think it comes down to the application rate and how well it is spread. You have a big pile of it or a ridge that's inches thick, yeah, you might have a problem. I spread mine with a leaf rake after I broadcast it out in their pen. Not saying that's the only way, just what I do.

I gots me a bunch of catching up to do Schnebbles so I'm back in a small way right now. I'm getting there, lol.

 

[schnebbles]

well it's good to have you back, even if just here and there I'm going to check into lime.

 

[seminolewind]

Lime is the same as the lime in your feed. Calcium carbonate. The non garden stuff burns. The barn stuff I just rake into the soil and put the sprinkler on it for a while.

 

[bbsnooks]

Hello. I'm wondering if you had chicks in 2014. And how they fared after your cleanup with oxine. .I have similar coop with dirt floor and suspect mareks for loss of many of my may hatchings.
Thanks for the great thread.
Debra

 

[pigcoon]

I did not have chicks in 2014. But I had a fresh batch in spring 2013. We were discussing them in this thread in fall 2013.

So far things look o.k. I did have one die over the summer (she was 14 months old by that time). She did not have Marek's. She took ill in the morning and was dead by 3 p.m. This is not how Marek's acts in my experience. I posted on the Sudden Chicken Death thread about her. There seems to be something unknown that causes a sudden death within a few hours.

All the rest raised after the major coop clean up are healthy so far with no signs of Marek's so far!

I did dig up a lot of the dirt floor and remove about 8 inches of dirt, sprayed a soaking spray into what remained, and then replaced it with fresh sand. This was the most arduous part of the clean up! I took it out by wheel barrow and dumped it way back in the woods.