Several months ago my husband was eating out with the kids and a donation of $2 to the local fire department got you a 5 gallon bucket with lid. I already had several 2-3 gallon buckets from the local bakery that worked for various things but really wanted a 5 gallon to store food. The problem is… This big, beautiful, fire engine red bucket was previously used to store pickles and I can’t get rid of the smell. I’ve tried soaking, putting it in the sun/snow/rain, soaking for an entire week, using it to store bedding, soaking again and back out in the sun but it still smells like pickles! If it bothers me this much, will it bother the chickens to eat pickle flavored food?
Those were some potent pickles. My gut says the chickens will not mine the feed stored in this bucket, but I'm not certain.
The pickle smell is so hard to vet rid of. I use old pickle jars to keep milk in and the lids do lose that smell...after months and months of being bleached. Luckily it's never made the milk taste like pickles LOL but your chickens shouldn't mind at all
Is there anything harmful in the pickle residue? I can't believe how strong the smell is after everything I've tried. Keeping bedding in there seemed to work but it comes right back once the bucket it empty again. We even named one of the new chicks Pickles because of this. LOL
Personally, I think I'd find an other use for this beautiful but smelly bucket. Perhaps you can use it in the garden to make compost or weed tea. It most likely won't hurt them, and chickens have very limited taste buds. But still...
Ah those lovely firehouse sub pickle buckets.. I tried it too and you will never get rid of the smell. I now use the pickle bucket to pick up my dogs contributions Wallmart, Home Depot, and Lowes all have non smelly buckets for like 2-3 bucks.. a better choice IMHO
