Ag Lime Question

I think I remember reading that ag lime in the chicken pen will cut down on the ammonia smell.

This is my problem:

I have a Hoop House that we moved this spring. Things were going well, but with all of this rain, I now have huge sink hole in the middle. Like when I step in it, It came half Way up my calf. DH and my thoughts are to fill the pen with base rock. But again, with all the rain the pen smells awful. We thought we would put down the lime and then the base rock.

Am open to ny other suggestions also.

Sheila

Seems like shavings would be safer. Would depend on the type of lime too wouldn't it?

We have put three bags of shving in there and still just keeps sucking them in. I don't know what to do.

Thanks

Sheila

They do use agricultural (dolomitic) lime to sweeten (i.e. make less acid) soil. It might make things less nasty--but I haven't heard it used that way in chicken pens. You would want to incorporate it well and not let them aspirate the really powdery stuff.

That's wht I ws worried about. The fact tht they my breath the stuff. Okay ny new suggestions?

Sand? Then lime? Or mix the two and add shavings over the top?

i would move the hoophouse to another spot. the rain plus the poo has made a huge mess that time and wood chips, and sunshine will take care of. can't hurt to throw some grass or grian seed in there too...

I have used stall fresh in the chicken run and coop in the winter. It reduces the amonia considerably. wouldn't use stone as it would be hard to clean. It sounds like a few bales of dry straw and some good air circulation should help. I use straw over dirt in the chicken run and shavings in the coop. I also keep a big hole filled with sand for dust bathing. I have to keep refilling it every so often as they kick it all out, but it mixes with the rest of the stuff. About every other year or so, we take the topsoil from the run (it's all mixed, composted and fertalized) and put it in the garden. I've also used cheap wood chips to dry out a pen. Right now they are 5 bags for 20 bucks at the gas station. Too bad we can't uses them to fuel our cars!)