Soil Maintenance

[Peckinpaw]

If parasites and diseases are ever present in the soil, how can I treat the dirt?
My coops are too heavy to move around to fresher ground. Should the run be raked hard and diatomaceous earth sprinkled in? Would that help? How much is safe?

 

[chickens really]

All I do is till up my Run....Add sand when needed but till it up every couple of weeks...DE is no good for Birds or people....

 

[aart]

If parasites and diseases are ever present in the soil, how can I treat the dirt?
My coops are too heavy to move around to fresher ground. Should the run be raked hard and diatomaceous earth sprinkled in? Would that help? How much is safe?

Welcome to BYC!
Not wise to try and kill every organism in the soil, IMO.
DE certainly wouldn't do that.
Is there a particular disease and/or parasite that you are concerned with....and why?
Have you had chicken longs and what is the coop and run like now?
Knowing more about your specific concerns and how you are managing the flock now would help.

 

[Peckinpaw]

I have been raising some chicks. When they are old enough, I have a small coop and run outside that I put them in. I tried to move it some and I tilled the run. I put a small batch of lavender Ameraucanas out there. Within the first week 2 died suddenly. Someone suggested it might be cocci. All my chicks are on medicated feed, also . So, then I started thinking about soil maintenance.

 

[ngennetta]

Nematodes! This is what we use- https://www.amazon.com/Pyes-Scanmas...502920956&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=scan+nematode

 

[aart]

I have been raising some chicks. When they are old enough, I have a small coop and run outside that I put them in. I tried to move it some and I tilled the run. I put a small batch of lavender Ameraucanas out there. Within the first week 2 died suddenly. Someone suggested it might be cocci. All my chicks are on medicated feed, also . So, then I started thinking about soil maintenance.

Hmmmm.....cocci has different strains, the 'meds' (usually amprolium) in feed don't address them all. Best thing to do would be to have necropsy done on the dead birds to find out exactly what killed them. Unless you know what disease you are fighting, it's hard to find the right weapon. Maybe @casportpony would have a suggestion.

Not sure nematodes will address chicken diseases/parasites.