Bleaching Coop

[birdwatcherohio]

Hi. My husband bleached out a coop today that was housing a sick chicken. The chicken is fine now and back with her flock (which also received preventative treatment).

Looking around at old posts, I saw that I should wait a month before putting any birds in the bleached coop.

With the heat so terrible in Ohio right now, I was hoping I wouldn't have to wait too long before putting birds in the coop again. It would be nice if the heat would actually help with something.

Can anyone tell me if I absolutely have to wait a month or there another way for me to determine when I can put chickens in the coop?

Thanks!

 

[swmalone]

How strong of a bleach solution was used? A month seems excessive to wait if the coop was cleaned using a standard 10% bleach solution that is normally used for the purposes of sanitizing.

 

[birdwatcherohio]

He used 50% water and 50% bleach to clean the coop. The coop is well ventilated, but there are areas in the coop to protect the birds from the weather, so those areas don't get sunlight.

 

[Stoney22]

I may be wrong but if it was me id say your being overly worried bleach evaporates fast and id say unless it soaked hardcore into the wood deep you will be fine after a day or so of ventilation

 

[Hawkeye95]

we use bleach on cleaning kennels and stalls, and as long as it has had a chance to completely dry out and ventilate, it should be fine.

 

[swmalone]

I wouldn't think it would take more than a day or two, but in reality the bleach solution you are using is a lot stronger than you need. 10% bleach solution is a good sanitizing strength and it will save you some money on the bleach.

 

[zookeeper15133]

Does it still smell of bleach? Put a large (20") fan in the door or windows with the others open to air it out.

Make sure it is all dry inside. With the % solution you used, it can cause bleach burns if there are wet spots.

 

[Doopy]

Hey Birdwatcher, you're about 20 mi.east and we are about 30 mi. west of Cincy. We have had chickens for about 23 years here at PlayStation and I do the bleach thing about every 6 months. I use a 30% solution in a pump sprayer and completely saturate every surface of the coop interior. I pay particular attention to all the nooks and crannies. I do this early in the morning when the chickens are out in the fields looking for breakfast. They sleep in there that same night. No problems. Of course all doors and windows are open on that day. And new deep layer straw or shavings is put in that day.

 

[53convert]

every spring and fall, I will totally clean ut our coop and bleach everything, I use standard household bleach, let it dry put down the beeding and put thi=e girls back in , all in one day

Never had a problem and I been doing that routine since...........oh what....2003

 

[leadwolf1]

I bleach the coop and all brooders...waterers and feeders...every time I change the litter. What I can't towel dry, airs dry. I pop the chicks right back into the brooders and the chickens go back in the coop that night. Smells clean and fresh and have never had a problem

I think they like it better clean!