Sanitizing

[Huntmaster]

I use TEK-Trol for disinfecting I use it for incubators/brooders/coops and anything that needs disinfected kills a wide range of viruses and bacteria. 100% kill in 80% organic matter. 100% biodegradable.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I used it for my dog a couple of years ago. It's a metal one. I can wash it with antibacterial dish soap and then let it dry in the sun if you think that'll work.

Oh it should be fine then. If it makes you feel better to scrub it with dish soap (Dawn is known to be animals safe) and rinse it, it won't do any harm, but it's not necessary either.

For reference, my brooder sits out on the run litter and gets rained on half the year. When I get chicks I just put them in there, no problem.

 

[3KillerBs]

Honestly, I don't.

If an animal were seriously ill I'd have to do something different, but for ordinary use the pet carriers, etc. are just hosed out, maybe scrubbed with dish soap if poopy, and then dried in the sun.

I keep things clean, but I don't believe in trying to create a sterile environment.

 

[AnnPann]

I'm not a fan of bleach smell, and hesitate to use it much b/c we're on septic, and I don't often find the need to sanitize things often, but this stuff is AMAZING: https://www.forceofnatureclean.com/natural-cleaner-and-disinfectant/

My shower has white grout on the floor :eye roll:: I didn't choose it, came with the house), and it's impossible to keep clean (dumping bleach on it might work, but again, septic). After using this stuff - it's like a totally new shower floor. The only downside is you have to make a new bottle after 2 weeks (which is not usually a problem - I use up the mixture pretty quickly).

Shower floor aside, it's just a really great spray cleaner/disinfectant, that I can safely use on anything. It smells faintly of a clean, well-kept indoor pool area. I can use it on kid, pet, and chicken items, it doesn't dry my hands out, and I don't have to worry about ventilation where I'm using it. AND because it has these little capsules that are the "ingredients" you use to mix it as-needed, so you can stock up on tons of cleaner, but it doesn't take up much room at all. This is seriously one of those "where has this been all my life" kind of product.

(and no, I don't work for the company, or get any kick backs for saying this!)

 

[Ridgerunner]

What do you guys use to sanitize your brooders?

Personally I don't. My 3' x 6' elevated brooder is built into the coop and has a 1/2" hardware cloth floor. I do not use any bedding. The poop falls through the floor and it stays perfectly dry. I don't see any reason to sanitize mine, but with your brooder it might be a good idea. If it is what I think it is I'd be content with washing it down with a hose and letting it dry in the sun but sanitizing should not hurt anything.

When I sanitize I use a bleach solution. I sanitize the incubator between uses, the table and equipment when I butcher chickens, and the kitchen where I package them for freezing. When the drinking bowls start to show green algae I'll wash them with a bleach solution. I am careful to not leave any of that bleach solution where they could drink it. I remember a post from several years back where a cockerel drank for the bleach solution someone was using to clean and died. I rinse things off well.

 

[Huntmaster]

Oh it should be fine then.

I keep things clean, but I don't believe in trying to create a sterile environment.

I agree with all of this but there are always times things need to be sanitized. I run incubators and small hatchers sometimes 6 months out of the year and always sanitize my incubators once a year or as needed, hatchers after every hatch. I have 10 different heated winter waterers and about 15 different regular summer waterers that get sanitized before getting changed out each season or as needed and that's not counting the brooder waterers. All the different feeders for so many birds get sanitized spring and fall and if a bird seems off/sick it is separated, feeders and waterers in pen it comes out of is sanitized just in case. Turkey nest boxes for hatching and laying that eggs can get broken in and growing bacteria in all the rest of the year when not in use need sanitized each spring before next use. I can have up to 200 turkeys at one time along with Chickens, Ducks, Quail all kept separate for husbandry/cross contamination and different needs. It only takes 1 sick wild bird to contaminate and so many other ways to bring in disease. With that all going on it is much cheaper and easier to try to keep as clean/sanitary as possible to prevent spreading of anything. And all you have to do with the Tek-Trol is mix it with water and spray it on wetting surface for a while and rinse if you want but not needed. As stated, its 100% kill in 80% organic matter on a very wide range of viruses and bacteria's and 100% biodegradable. You can never have a sterile environment in the poultry world, and I would never try but you sure can save costs from treating or loses. Is it over kill for small backyard flocks maybe so but you still have so much invested and are taking time to rinse/clean anyways so why not get the extra prevention. I see so many people with problems on Emergencies/Diseases/Injuries and cures that just a little easy prevention could have helped with.