Should I buy second hand?

[kentvegplot]

Locally, someone is selling a large used chicken house plus run and other bits and pieces. It's a good price (quite a lot less than new)

I'm excited because my husband has suddenly decided it's ok to keep chickens but I'm worried that second-hand houses might be harbouring mites.

Am I worrying unduly?

[di]

If you haven't got your chooks yet it would give you time to creocote it beforehand.

I'd act quick if you want it...I just phoned an ad in the paper & she said she had loads of calls.(the plan was to have it as a spare for when we need to do major mite treatments on our present ones)

[bluemoon]

I'd grab it, give it a really good scrub, treat it for mites ( a couple of times) then coat it in fresh preservative.

[Hans Mum]

ditto the above, if youve got a pressure washer I'd give it a blast with that first then treat it and coat it....

good luck

[Flummery]

I understand they can live for up to 10 months witrhout a top-up of blood - so it does need a good sorting before you let your little lovelies in. However, if the price is good - I'd be tempted!

[walldanzig]

as above get some red mite powder

[Bramble-Poultry]

2nd hand is fine - great in fact - recycling as well.

and getting it in advance gives you plenty of time to clean it thoroughly, paint it inside and out, do any running repairs, treat it for mites etc and generally get it looking like new.

Go for it - justgive yourselves enough time to get it sorted before you rush out and get chooks - as hard as that is!

[Hilary B]

Second all the above. Treat with all the preservatives you can get that are 'chicken-safe' (most of them, once fully dried), and if it has roofing felt, get some insecticidal stuff in between the felt and the wood below (even if only at the edges), then re-treat the inside of the roof.
If you've used every device known to chicken-keeper for killing off parasites, then you are in business, and recycling is definitely a good move!

[Snadger]

Second hand snadge is my middle name!

I inherited a second hand broken down chicken coop and run and re-designed the interior,enlarged it a bit and generally used it as a base for what I wanted to achieve!
I also built the 'octagon' from a pile of old doors!

Had no complants from the chooks yet!

[Polly Fouracre]

If you have or can borrow a steam cleaner this would work as well.

[BUFFS]

If you hire a steam cleaner,try to do it midweek,as locally i have found this to be cheaper