recent flood

[cluckin tractor]

water came up and washed the inside of the coop making it soggy but everything was either hanging or up high so not too much damage. what can i do and what do i have to do to stop any bad things happening? water has recceded and is now drying out

 

[elmo]

Scroll down to the bottom of this page for some good advice:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

 

[LynneP]

Basically you need to clean down to the bare bones and pray for dry weather. Treat your bedding and run with a stall product and/or food-grade diatomaceous earth and avoid hay or straw, giving preference to wood shavings. Store your bedding on elevated pallets or platforms for the next storms of fall. So very sorry you suffered this. We roofed our runs to draw rain off, but a flood is a different matter. Any way to deflect flood water away from your buildings in future?

 

[Rozzie]

Depends on how badly and why it flooded.

First and foremost CUT OFF any electricity to the chicken coop until it is thoroughly dried and wiring and all connections that got wet or MAY HAVE gotten wet are inspected and replaced, as needed.

Do you have batting insulation in the walls of your coop (like household insulation)? If so, this will probably need to be torn out and replaced.

What was the source of the water? Was it "clean" flood water (rain that pooled in low spots on your property and came over the floor level) or potentially vile & polluted (river water downstream from a city that discharges sewers into the water)?

1. If clean water -- remove all bedding. Let the coop air out as much as possible. Clean thoroughly while at it. So long as it's not soggy, chickens will probably be fine staying inside once the water goes down. Do not replace bedding until the wood is bone dry. You might consider some of the "stall dry" material but I'm not sure how that would affect birds who might eat it. Anyone?

2. If polluted water, then I'd try to remove the birds completely and sanitize thoroughly. Sanitize as if you were killing off poultry diseases. Perhaps apply fresh paint once things are dry.

Ed. to add:

If potentially polluted, or if mold is present, then wear protective gear -- respirator, rubber boots, etc.

 

[V Comb]

It sounds the flooding down your way was much worse than here in Brisbane. Good luck getting answers!

 

[cluckin tractor]

the flood was a once in a centry and only came becaues there was too much water for the creek to process. water is clean but isn't drinkable. my shed is made of corregated iron so just bedding was replaced even though it floted out and caked up against the wire.


all gone now

thanks 4 the info

 

[BWKatz]

So glad everything turned out ok.. coop, chicks and u.