Lime ....

[Bear Foot Farm]

I thought lime would burn their feet??

Hydrated lime ( Calcium Hydroxide) is caustic

Calcitic lime ( Calcium Carbonate) is not

Most powdered lime in stores is Hydrated.
Pellitized is normally Calcitic

Read the labels carefully​

 

[mdbokc]

Here is the lime I use from our local Atwoods. But I only use it a couple times a year. Throw a 2 - 3 handfuls out in the run (10' x 40') and rake it in lightly with a garden rake.

 

[patandchickens]

Plenty of people use lime, try the 'search' utility above. There are several good threads in detail about the subject, and a zillion casual mentions

Quicklime will burn their feet; the kind of lime you spread on gardens or lawns or pastures will not.

Personally, I don't have a smell problem because my runs are large in relation to the number of chickens in them, and are roofed and so stay pretty dry. If I did not have a roofed run, there are a few times of year (e.g. spring thaw) when I might use lime or a stable powder; but truthfully the BEST way of controlling stink is to keep the run as dry as possible (see my 'fix a muddy run' page, link below in .sig) and to have as few chickens as you can manage to limit yourself to, in the largest possible area

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[DaKid]

Ok 4 one I use food grade / garden lime , Again I only spread it when its going to be a rain day and the chickens stay in the coop - lock down -
I have never had any problems with burning their feet- WHY Cuz there in the coop when I spread it and when it's raining heavy ----- my runs are not covered - I don't have any smells NEVER DID BUT IT HELPS BRAKE DOWN THE CRAP ................and I don't have to rake up any POO /CHICKEN ' TURKEY CRAP from there runs ----and I have never lost any chickens or turkeys or even my dogs due to using LIME in the RUNS ........And yes my runs are not 500 sq ft. but I do have runs at 80 to 100 sq Ft. to 200 sq. ft PLUS for the turkeys ........

I'm Done

 

[sevenchickens]

you are definitely not alone! I put down a thick layer of leaf mulch but the chickens have scratched around so much that nearly all of it is outside the coop. The ground in the run is so packed it doesn't drain well. I was thinking of tilling it with some lime then planting some clover or alfalfa and letting it rest. The chickens mostly free range too. They are just locked up until about 1 pm then out and about.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I use it in the chicken runs, and I put it down at night that way they dont think its a treat. Also, during the breeding season the ducks go up on stilt pens, and underneath gets all poopy, so I spread it around there too.

 

[DaKid]

MMMMMM

SO I'M NOT ALONE HERE

It funny how some will agree and other don't - I know some here are breeders for show and others are here just for the pleasure of raising a few birds and hatching eggs , I know the breeders for show are more cautions on how and what they use on raising they show birds , but use back yard raisers have a different view on things , then again it all depends on where we are from , weather , temps, east –west -north or south of the USA what works well for some don’t work for others as far AS I ‘M SAYING AS A RAISER / MINI FARMER and NOT for Show Quality Birds .......................





So I glad that there others who use Lime in there runs for the break-down of poo and for the if any SMELLS