THE REALITIES ABOUT POULTRY The Modern Farm - The Realities About Poultry_Seco | Page 87

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Replace old litter with fresh bedding material to ensure that birds are separated from
organisms passed along in fecal material. Remove old litter to a compost piled. Double-bag the
litter in a location that is remote from the coop.
When does the farmer tell that the litter is old enough for removal from the house?

Level of wetness: When the litter is held in the palm and mould it, when the mould crumbles then it
is still fine but when it forms a mold that does not crumble easily then it is ready for removal
regardless of the period it has spent in the house.
 Recommendation from a veterinarian during the course of treatment
 Scrape fecal material from perches. Examine perches for physical hazards and make repairs.
Disinfect the perches.

Clean and replace nests and nesting materials. Clean the inside of nests before disinfection.
Add fresh nest material, if used, to a clean and dry nest to prevent mold growth.
Monthly Routines: Monthly routines include some of the following:
 Check for mites and body lice – treat if necessary.
 Remove cobwebs with a broom. Remove dust with a whisk broom. Cobwebs and dust that
accumulate in corners can harbor microorganisms for long periods of time.

If possible, clean the containers in which feed is kept. The timing of this should correspond
with the arrival of each new feed delivery. A good idea is to keep feed in plastic or metal garbage
cans with tight-fitting lids. Keep some feed containers cleaned and ready to receive new feed
deliveries

Schedule a twice-a-year cleaning and disinfecting that includes a thorough cleaning of the
entire house followed by cleaning and disinfecting of all surfaces. This should also be performed
upon the detection of a sick bird or parasites of any kind.

Clean transport containers immediately after use. Clean and disinfect containers before they
are stored in or near bird areas to prevent the movement of microorganisms onto the farm.
Store containers in a secure area.
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