Disinfecting chicken run

[bearded bloke]

Quicklime (aka burnt lime) is Calcium oxide great for making distemper & for putting in the pit base of a "thunderbox" not good for this application as when made wet it is exothermic

Hydrated lime (aka slaked lime,builders lime, slack lime,pickling lime) is Calcium hydroxide,far more suitable.

So much so that some cattle farmers when building overwintering stock barns dig out below the sleeping area & fill it with lime chunks which are then rolled down tight & covered in a deep layer of bedding

[jessmorris]

Aha! Thankyou!

[Hilary B]

To clarify my earlier comments.
Slaked lime is what you get when quicklime combines with water (don't try this at home!!!!!!) and is, (strictly speaking) a clay-textured goo. The most useful one is 'hydrated' lime, which is slaked lime part-dried until it is a stable powder.
The rest of it is well summed up by Bearded Bloke.

[jessmorris]

Thanks both. I have just finished winter quarters - small run with coop, 5" deep in wood chips. This means they can go in there and I can lime the garden! Yay! Late, but hey......

[jessmorris]

Type of lime for disinfecting run?

Sorry, I know I asked this a while ago, I have searched but the facility didn't seem to be active this morning. I'll write the answer down this time AND GO DIRECTLY TO THE BUILDERS MERCHANT. Is it hydrated lime I'm asking for? Its to disinfect the run while the birds are off it for 3 months. And will it hurt the garden birds by the way? And neighbours cats paws?
cheers,
JM

[bearded bloke]

Yep,that's the stuff .(search is easier with more obscure words & I remembered typing exothermic ) ere yer go.............http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tml#post925389 ...

[zazen999]

I've merged with your other thread so that you can reread the answers

[jessmorris]

Thankyou all for your help.

[jessmorris]

And I tried Wilipedia . Slaked lime (Calcium hydroxide - the safe stuff) as used by the Ancient Celts:

Ancient Celtic use

According to Diodorus Siculus:

The Gauls are tall of body with rippling muscles and white of skin and their hair is blond, and not only naturally so for they also make it their practice by artificial means to increase the distinguishing colour which nature has given it. For they are always washing their hair in limewater and they pull it back from the forehead to the nape of the neck, with the result that their appearance is like that of Satyrs and Pans since the treatment of their hair makes it so heavy and coarse that it differs in no respect from the mane of horses. —Diodorus Siculus

Well there's food for thought!

JM