Putting lime in the chicken pen?

[Pork Pie]

i am really nerves about using lime in our chicken coop would you use anything else thats would be natural or is lime cheapier and better to use..and is there different kind of lime you shouldnt use for coops?thank you

Lime is natural - in its unadulterated state, its simply finely ground sedimentary rock (limestone)

ETA: in my neck of the woods, lime is used as a calcium boost for all livestock, including chickens.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I use plain old barn lime, Mighty White is the brand. We used it freely in our dairy farm years ago. I now use it to dry stuff out and freshen up wet areas in my coop and shed. Don't fear the lime.

 

[melissamcneely]

thank you for the info..i wont fear the lime..lol

 

[melissamcneely]

thank you for info..

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

thank you for info..

 

[lazy gardener]

i am really nerves about using lime in our chicken coop would you use anything else thats would be natural or is lime cheapier and better to use..and is there different kind of lime you shouldnt use for coops?thank you

Wood ash would be an other alternative.

 

[2dancingrats]

I have 30-40 chickens and two pekin ducks in a pen in my backyard. The pen is roughly 30x45 feet or so. They have plenty of space to move around.

Anyway, in this hot humid weather their poop is is starting to pile up and stink in the sun! I live in a suburb, so I would like to find a way to speed up the composting/decay periodically. Rain doesn't seem to help much.

Would it be safe to use lime? The chickens will be on the ground during the day still. They can't stay in their coops all day because there isn't enough space--they only go in the coops to roost at night and to lay eggs.

The pen has grassy areas and dirt patches. I would put lime mostly on the dirt, and probably some in the grass of their favorite spots. The kind of lime we have is from TSC and it is a white powder. It was the only kind TSC had. I've read conflicting things about lime being safe, or possibly burning their feet...I don't want to harm my birds! If there is a safer type of lime to use (if any kind is safe) then I can look at our local feed store...

I use barn lime in my coop and in the horse stall my ducks and geese stay in. Zero

 

[2dancingrats]

I use barn lime in the chicken coop and in the barn where my geese are. Never had a problem yet. You do have to put it down when they aren't in there and let the dust settle before they return. I think garden lime would be dangerous.

 

[jwey]

I looked at the MDS of both first saturday and barn lime (found at TSC). Both have relatively the same chemical components are I also spoke with the barn lime company. They stated that their barn lime is safe around all animals as long as I'm pretty much not feeding it to them in high quantities. lol. plus, $.07 per lb for barn lime sounds A LOT better that $1.50 per lb for first saturdays.
Hope this helps anyone looking for a cheaper solution for their animals/ chickens