Icelandic Chickens

[Jake Levi]

Wow ! Thats great Mary ! That last picture is a hang on the wall photo !! What a pair of beauties !

Myrth how long has it been since there were chickens in the house there? Most bacteria will be dead if the litter is dry, a cleaning of it should remove the majority, you will never get it antiseptic without a major unneeded disinfection. I used to work with a broiler neighbor in MO, and helped him get houses ready for new sets of broilers. Those were red gravel/soil floors and we would till them after a fogging and then fog again. He never had a problem, we'd literally sweep the walls etc with stiff brooms before fogging.

If it was a small home flock you are more then likely to be in great shape if its sat empty a year or two, coccidiosis would be the biggest concern and for new chicks sulmet in the water is standard to guard against that.

Any questions just too them in to the discussion.

Welcome to the discussion !

 

[Myrth]

Those are beautiful birds, Mary, and great photos.

I am not sure how long it has been since there were chickens in the chicken house. At least 3 months, because there were none when we looked at the place prior to buying. However, in starting to clean it out, I found a dead chicken. It was gross. So gross that I had to take a break from cleaning. It was dead for a long time, but I don't know what killed it, nor what lovely nasties were growing in its remains! It was probably a Cornish rock, so it could have died of a heart attack. But it also could have been a disease. Thus, I feel I must not only finish cleaning, but I must thoroughly decontaminate the area. I don't want the new birds sickened by the former owner's bad hygiene and possibly sick birds.

 

[Jake Levi]

You wont be wrong in cleaning and disinfecting, no matter what it died of, chances are good it got smothered, also could have been pneumonia, coccidia, being the two most common, and they are endemic so the disenfecting is a good move. How big of an area is it?

The houses that I used to help with were 200' L by 40' wide. Scraped it, then ran a tiller like over it to scratch the surface then heavy fogged it. Let it air for two days with the fans then added the chicks.

Good luck on it all. I have been in raised pen building mode, predators being the main driver for the raised pens, now that all are housed will start the chicken house shortly, with two attached runs, covered, and let each breed free range every other day, and then pen at night.

Being heritage breeds the free ranging is a major reason for the free ranging.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: So adorable. And of course, it's too young to sex!

Those are beautiful birds, Mary, and great photos.

I am not sure how long it has been since there were chickens in the chicken house. At least 3 months, because there were none when we looked at the place prior to buying. However, in starting to clean it out, I found a dead chicken. It was gross. So gross that I had to take a break from cleaning. It was dead for a long time, but I don't know what killed it, nor what lovely nasties were growing in its remains! It was probably a Cornish rock, so it could have died of a heart attack. But it also could have been a disease. Thus, I feel I must not only finish cleaning, but I must thoroughly decontaminate the area. I don't want the new birds sickened by the former owner's bad hygiene and possibly sick birds.

Definitely clean it well. I think many people use Oxine?

 

[mlm Mike]

Nice photos, Mary!

 

[NotAFarm]

Hi Mike!

 

[mlm Mike]

Hi Mary!

 

[NotAFarm]

Have you been showing your Icelandic sheepdog this year?

 

[mlm Mike]

Yes, I've gone to 3 shows this summer. She got her first major a couple of weeks ago.

 

[NotAFarm]

Congrats!! How is she around your flock?