Will baking soda hurt my chickens?

[ChicksR4Me]

I've been cleaning out the coop today. The coop has a wooden floor and it is moist and smelly. I'm letting it air out and shut the birds outside for now. It's pretty smelly! Would it hurt to sprinkle some baking soda on the floor before putting new pine chips back in or is there something that would be better?

 

[ghulst]

Wouldn't hurt at all.

 

[ChicksR4Me]

Thank you so much!!

 

[jeremy]

you should look into getting some diatomaceous earth. mix it into everything your chickens touch- food, a little in there water a long with some electrolytes, in whatever kind of bedding you put in the bottom of your coop and just sprinkled over the run.

what it does for the chickens, internally it helps to keep bad bacterias/worms/etc. from forming in their stomachs resulting in poo that is almost completely smell free and regular.

for the coop it dries out any wetness there may be. having it out in their run lets them free choice when they feel they need some, also aiding in keeping things nice and clean.

it's worked like magic for me. the only cause for concern would be to not dust/sprinkle the d.e. when the chickens are too close. breathing it in over long periods of time may lead to respiratory issues. that goes for you as well!

 

[NancyDz]

Have you thought about lining the floor with a piece of linoleum? That's what I have in my coop, it makes it really easy to clean out. I got a piece for free on freecycle . I've seen them on craigslist too. Also Home Depot or Lowe's sells smaller pieces for @ $25. I use diatomaceous earth too with my litter on top of the linoleum. Having a poop shelf really cut down on the mess inside my coop too... I have that lined with linoleum also for easy cleaning.


Nancy

 

[Chrissy D]

Have you thought about lining the floor with a piece of linoleum? That's what I have in my coop, it makes it really easy to clean out. I got a piece for free on freecycle . I've seen them on craigslist too. Also Home Depot or Lowe's sells smaller pieces for @ $25. I use diatomaceous earth too with my litter on top of the linoleum. Having a poop shelf really cut down on the mess inside my coop too... I have that lined with linoleum also for easy cleaning.


Nancy

Be careful with this. Mold grows rapidly under the linoleum if you are in a humid climate.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

you should look into getting some diatomaceous earth. mix it into everything your chickens touch- food, a little in there water a long with some electrolytes, in whatever kind of bedding you put in the bottom of your coop and just sprinkled over the run.

what it does for the chickens, internally it helps to keep bad bacterias/worms/etc. from forming in their stomachs resulting in poo that is almost completely smell free and regular.

for the coop it dries out any wetness there may be. having it out in their run lets them free choice when they feel they need some, also aiding in keeping things nice and clean.

it's worked like magic for me. the only cause for concern would be to not dust/sprinkle the d.e. when the chickens are too close. breathing it in over long periods of time may lead to respiratory issues. that goes for you as well!

DE isn't effective moist, and is only marginally effective dry. OP said the coop was moist/smelly.

DE taken internally has none of the effects you ascribe. The closest scientific support for that conention you are likely to find is this study, whose sample size is tiny, whoe effects were zero for one breed and barely noted for the other, with no plausible explanation differnentiating the initial parasytic loads, of the fact that they all went to near zero, whether treated with DE adulterated feed or not. Frankly, the whole study looks like it was desperately seeking any effect for the DE, and thus tested for everything - no mechanism is offered as explanation for any of the observed results.

Neither is it an effective dessicant. DE resembles a dessicant in its effect against insects because it abrades off the protective waxes on their carapace, resulting in their eventual slow death via dehydration to the air around them, NOT because it absorbs moisture itself - unlike, say, silica gel.

"its worked like magic for me" Yes, yes it has.

 

[Battlepants]

This thread is 13 years old, it is unlikely that these users will see these responses.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

This thread is 13 years old, it is unlikely that these users will see these responses.

OOOPS!

Well at least I found a new DE study.

 

[Cherylparker175]

DE isn't effective moist, and is only marginally effective dry. OP said the coop was moist/smelly.

DE taken internally has none of the effects you ascribe. The closest scientific support for that conention you are likely to find is this study, whose sample size is tiny, whoe effects were zero for one breed and barely noted for the other, with no plausible explanation differnentiating the initial parasytic loads, of the fact that they all went to near zero, whether treated with DE adulterated feed or not. Frankly, the whole study looks like it was desperately seeking any effect for the DE, and thus tested for everything - no mechanism is offered as explanation for any of the observed results.

Neither is it an effective dessicant. DE resembles a dessicant in its effect against insects because it abrades off the protective waxes on their carapace, resulting in their eventual slow death via dehydration to the air around them, NOT because it absorbs moisture itself - unlike, say, silica gel.

"its worked like magic for me" Yes, yes it has.

Y’all, I’m kinda late in this post, but I do the ONCE A MONTH LIME spread… I’m NOT an advertising agency lol but have a small flock which I love… I have noticed after I clean out the coop well , spread the Lime on the floor, especially in the corners, cracks, ect… that helps with smells… according to the ad on FB they advertise once a month, we’ve had a tremendous amount of wet weather these past few weeks and I’m having issues like everyone else… tomorrow will be coop day to clean and lime and fresh bedding… I typically change out coop bedding every Fri, that does wonders for the smell, also I too have a small box that they poop in when nesting at night. I use sand, lime, potting soil, then all I have to do is sift once a week like a litter box…. Have to say, the lime helps with moisture as well.. the one I get is a organic so should they ingest or if my mouser dog gets in to it he’s safe as well….the lime helps with mites , flees, ect.. mold… I use it also on my yard to hopefully ward off pest for the bird dogs… hope this helps someone…
Cheryl