Too much lime?

[mapcheck]

New to having backyard chickens and may have made a mistake.

We have three RI Reds 6 weeks old and three buff orpingtons 5 weeks old. They are in the coop and we were going to let them outside into the run for the first time tomorrow. We were told to put lime on the ground first and used 'garden lime' (small gray pellets) in the chicken run. Well, the directions were not read on the bag and 1 pound would have worked for 200 SF run. 9 lbs was used.

I soaked the run last night and will rake it. But will it be harmful for the young birds to go into the run? Should we keep them in the coop for another week or so? If this is too much lime, how do we now naturalize it?

I read a lot of great stuff on this forum in preparing to get the ladies and would appreciate any information on this issues.

Thanks.

 

[ibpboo]

I was trying to search on this, but here is a link that you may be able to find info.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=47639&p=1

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

You can't put "too much" lime.

 

[patandchickens]

You don't want it to be actively dusty. But if you can get it raked/tilled in well enough, or just hit it with a hose a little bit, then it should be fine. (That's assuming you used one of the reasonably safe limes, not quicklime aka calcium hydroxide)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[mapcheck]

Thanks,

I had visions of spending the 4th of July replacing the top several inches of the soil in the run.

 

[BlackBart]

If your worried you used too much, you could dig it in.

 

[greathorse]

I would like to put lime on my run. Lime is seldom used here for ag purposes as we have alkaline soil. At least I think lime is alkaline. At any rate I only see the stuff you are to put in concrete etc. What specifically do I ask for

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

What specifically do I ask for

Pelletized lime or Ag lime

NOT Hydrated lime. Make sure the bag says it's Calcium Carbonate, and NOT Calcium Hydroxide​