Will putting lime on my yard hurt my chickens?

[RaZ]

Apparently I'm missing something here. Why does everyone use lime if not for ammending the soil?

 

[hendrickshens]

Thank you everyone! I will definetly use limestone, not hydrated lime, and let the girls take of the fertilizing

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Apparently I'm missing something here. Why does everyone use lime if not for ammending the soil?

For lawns and gardens it's for raising the PH

For coops and runs, it absorbs moisture and controls odors​

 

[joojy]

my coop is really wet, I want to sprinkle powdered lime to soak it up. It should go right into the water and soak it up? Never build a coop in a low spot!!

 

[Jill2468]

I also have to put some lime and organic matter on my lawn because I am being taken over by wild onion and chives. I am going to go the lime and organic matter route instead of herbicides because of my hens. I think I will lay lime this spring, mow with the mulching mower for the season (I have nice green weeds and no grass out here) and lay some more lime in the late fall. Does that sound like a plan to you?

 

[Jill2468]

I also have to put some lime and organic matter on my lawn because I am being taken over by wild onion and chives. I am going to go the lime and organic matter route instead of herbicides because of my hens. I think I will lay lime this spring, mow with the mulching mower for the season (I have nice green weeds and no grass out here) and lay some more lime in the late fall. Does that sound like a plan to you?

 

[chicknmania]

But is calcium carbonate carbonate as good for sterilization as hydrated lime?

 

[Jane0208]

We are trying to radically decrease our tick population to protect young children. We are planning to get chickens. Folks have also said lime works. I'm assuming it's hydrated lime because other wouldn't be strong enough. If after a few days we can go back on lawn, why couldn't chickens?

 

[Cadmansd]

Hello, I'm new to having backyard chickens with 11 hens and 1 rooster and they free range as well.
My chickens love to get into the compost pile and I was wanting to spread Limethrough it, the lime I got was powdered calcitic lime, should that be OK? It's 93% calcium carbonate and 1%magnesium.
Also I found food grade diatomaceous earth works very well spread into the cracks and crevices of the coop and will kill any insect with a exoskeleton and it will not harm your flock. Can also spread in the yard in trouble areas and water it to get into the ground.

 

[Compost Queen]

I support Raz, get a soil test. Even do a quick pH is better than nothing. Hydrated lime should not be used in soil, pets, or garden. Garden Lime is very alkalising, Dolomite ( which contains magnesium) is moderately alkalising and Gypsum (calcium sulphate) is pH neutral. On clay soils you should aim for about 70% of base saturation of CEC with calcium, on sandy soils about 30-40%. Hydrated lime is what builders use for concrete. Very hazardous to breathe, used for whitewash but don't use it on perches- too caustic. Don't use it in their their yard. Freds Hens knows his stuff, there's nothing wrong with Garden lime, aka Calcium carbonate. It makes up chicken shells too. I mean, we have low calcium soils here so while I'm fixing up soil chemistry and biology, I have garden lime, (CaCo3) in my chooks drinking water with a little ACV to mineralise it. The chooks have certainly not complained. It helps get calcium into their diet for their shells.

Lime will volatise nitrogen, so while it is extremely disinfecting, you will lose a lot of nitrogen from chook poo to the atmosphere if there's big enough lime/ poo ratio. I put garden lime in their dust bath in decent amounts and also a little in the nest box , and in their yard I scatter grit because will live on friable clay soils - not a pebble in sight. So their grit is crushed basalt fines, limestone chips ( I put oyster shells through the mulcher, has crushing plate), and small sands and rocks I pick up here and there. Has not hurt them.

Over time in a chook yard, esp without free ranging, the soil will become acid, as all organic matter does as it breaks down. Lime in moderate amounts till help neutralise. Me- Agronomist, horticulturist, ex naturopath, permaculturist.