Yet another question about lime...

[Shannon's Chix]

I have been all over this area trying to find food grade DE, Stall Dri or AG lime...nothing!!!

I didn't have any fly problems until recently (lost of rain). I bought some lime that was garden lime and it said hydrated which I guess is a no no but it says nothing about being caustic or dangerous to animals, etc. the label actually says to use in stalls, dog pens, etc. I would think if you can use it around dogs you can use it around chickens? Please advise...

I'm so frustrated.

 

[darbella]

Quote:
I spinkled some lime powder on the area that I moved the chicken pens from earlier today and later on the chickens were scratching up the area and pickin'. I hope it won't hurt them. According to my neighbor that fertilizes his lawn and has free ranging chickens also, they usually will not eat something harmfull...not sure how they know what is and is not harmful???

 

[allison finch]

I spread some powdered lime on my yard years ago. I later walked on the grass with some fancy dress shoes. Later, the soles fell off the shoes. They were all but dissolved. The lime has to be the reason. I would hate to put that stuff in my coop. I just wish I knew what product it was.

 

[CMV]

Do not let your birds pick in an area where hydrated lime has recently been spread!! Do not even let them walk in the area. You will BURN them and chemical burns hurt just as badly as heat burns. I don't care what your neighbor says. He's partially right about chickens not eating things that are bad for them, but chickens generally don't know what substances are caustic. Chickens will wander merrily around scratching through the lime and end up with burns all over their feet and underside, and if you are really unlucky with caustic burns in their eyes and respiratory tract. Lime is dangerous stuff and not to be taken lightly. I wholeheartedly discourage you from using hydrated lime near chickens. I use it all over my property, but never near my birds.

Online shopping is an option if a supplier is not near-by.

 

[NYREDS]

Now for another opinion-I've raised chickens for 50 years & routinely use Hydrated Lime. When I clean a pen I put down a layer of it before I add the shavings. I do this because it's how my Grandfather did it before me. I also know of many others who follow the same practice. It has never been a problem for me. Tou'll find on this site that a lot of misinformation gets repeated as fact. I suspect that the people warning you about burning your chickens' feet have never experienced this in their own flocks but rather are repeating something they heard.

 

[ChickieKeeta]

Quote:
I have used hydrated lime with no problem. It is recomended in the article at the following link.

http://www.plamondon.com/faq_deep_litter.html

 

[feckless_son]

Be very careful with lime.

There are many types and grades.
Some are very caustic and others less so.

Remember that mason's assistants that used to turn mortar piles made from lime would get burns when their sweat mixed with the lime dust.

Learn the chemical names applied to the different varieties and look for the proper name on the product you intend to buy.

Dolomitic lime is one I bought to make mortar once because I was ignorant.
It ended up on the garden.

 

[jmsissy]

Here's a place you can get DE...

http://www.earthworkshealth.com/pets-animals.php

At bottom of page click to order.