Sanitizing the Coop - Ultimate

[ChickenCanoe]

That's entirely possible. Bio-security is essential.
Our large 700 member chicken meetup group occasionally has coop tours and our gardening group has an annual garden tour. If I'm on the tour, I make everyone wear disposable booties when they come on the property and don't actually get access into chicken pens. I'm still taking a gamble doing that and I probably won't be open for tours in the future. It just isn't worth it.
Other members have boot washes at their gates and make everyone disinfect their shoes before access.
If one brings in new birds they should be quarantined as far from their flock as possible and for as long as possible. Preferably for a month or more. During that time, tend your birds prior to tending new birds and wash up and change clothes and shoes between.

 

[lmdengler]

That's entirely possible. Bio-security is essential.
Our large 700 member chicken meetup group occasionally has coop tours and our gardening group has an annual garden tour. If I'm on the tour, I make everyone wear disposable booties when they come on the property and don't actually get access into chicken pens. I'm still taking a gamble doing that and I probably won't be open for tours in the future. It just isn't worth it.
Other members have boot washes at their gates and make everyone disinfect their shoes before access.
If one brings in new birds they should be quarantined as far from their flock as possible and for as long as possible. Preferably for a month or more. During that time, tend your birds prior to tending new birds and wash up and change clothes and shoes between.

I'm feeling pretty certain this is how it all started. That's why I am hoping to disinfect the coop and run tomorrow when it is 70 out here in upstate NY.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Poultry farms have strict bio-security measures. They wear one color shoes and overalls for outside work and another color for inside work so everyone knows if there is a breach in security.
During the avian flu epidemic a couple years ago that was responsible for the ensuing euthanasia of tens of millions of turkeys and chickens, the consensus was that disease was brought onto farms on the tires of feed trucks.

 

[lmdengler]

Poultry farms have strict bio-security measures. They wear one color shoes and overalls for outside work and another color for inside work so everyone knows if there is a breach in security.
During the avian flu epidemic a couple years ago that was responsible for the ensuing euthanasia of tens of millions of turkeys and chickens, the consensus was that disease was brought onto farms on the tires of feed trucks.

What about going to the feed store. That's another risk isn't it? What do you suggest? And thank you BTW for being so patient with me.

 

[lmdengler]

Poultry farms have strict bio-security measures. They wear one color shoes and overalls for outside work and another color for inside work so everyone knows if there is a breach in security.
During the avian flu epidemic a couple years ago that was responsible for the ensuing euthanasia of tens of millions of turkeys and chickens, the consensus was that disease was brought onto farms on the tires of feed trucks.

On another but similar note - what can i do now to save my remaining 4 chickens. I have one Rooster and 3 hens left.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What about going to the feed store. That's another risk isn't it? What do you suggest? And thank you BTW for being so patient with me.

It is a risk. I wear a different pair of shoes in the poultry area than I do in the house or going shopping.

On another but similar note - what can i do now to save my remaining 4 chickens. I have one Rooster and 3 hens left.

I really can't tell you what to do since you don't know what killed your birds. It would be a shot in the dark to give advice.
I think I asked what their housing is like. What is the ventilation like? How have they been fed since you got them and especially in the last 6 months?

 

[lmdengler]

It is a risk. I wear a different pair of shoes in the poultry area than I do in the house or going shopping.


I really can't tell you what to do since you don't know what killed your birds. It would be a shot in the dark to give advice.
I think I asked what their housing is like. What is the ventilation like? How have the been fed since you got them and especially in the last 6 months?

First - the Feed:
I give them 18% flock feed I mix in oats, scratch and whole sunflower seeds. The primary component (more that 90 %) is 18% flock feed.
Water is from a heated font and I have always added vitamins and electrolytes and a spot of ACV.

Second - the coop. My husband built it and I moved them into it in December 2017. It is 6x6x6. Before that I had them in an ex

tra large TSC coop. I have a heat lamp that runs all day. Because our temps were so very cold. The run is Partially closed in because of the winds. The vents are all per the specs he followed .

 

[aart]

These last two were March 2017 chicks. I bought them in May/June 2017.

So sorry for your losses.
How many others died, when did they die, and how old were they?

I have a heat lamp that runs all day

Was it a poultry approved heat lamp?

Hope you can get a necrospy done.
You've gotten a lot of great advice from CC.....
....agrees, need to know cause of death before can prevent any future ones.

 

[lmdengler]

I did not have a necropsy done. I am very sad to surmise -and again I am no expert -that it was due to the toxic fumes from the light we ran 24/7. Is was a heat lamp bulb from Lowe’s. It was not poultry approved it was just a heat bulb. I had no idea until yesterday when I read the article on BYC. the symptoms match. I’ve removed the light and for good measure cleaned and sanitized my coop. Removed the outdoor walls in the run brought the coop run to bare dirt and when peat moss comes back in stock will build it back up. The remaining girls and Bob seem well.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If it was a regular heat lamp and not a rough service Teflon coated lamp, it was probably OK.
I know it is cold where you are but chickens have been handling those conditions for thousands of years without heat lamps. An infrared heat lamp heats what it is aimed at and not necessarily much of the ambient air.
Running a 250 watt heat lamp 24/7 is extremely expensive and negates any slight monetary advantage there may be in raising one's own chickens.
I wanted to add that your coop is beautiful and solid looking but it looks like it doesn't have enough ventilation. It has gotten down to -19 F here an my buildings have huge windows on both east and west walls open year round - no heat. Never have had a respiratory issue.