Key considerations when cleaning your poultry shed

As farmers will know all-too-well, keeping poultry sheds and equipment in top hygienic condition is vital, particularly when changing flocks. It’s key to reducing harmful viruses, bacteria and protozoa, ultimately helping to ensure birds remain healthy and free from disease.

One of the reasons that this is so important is because the previous flock will likely have been exposed to micro-organisms, which can cause greater damage to incoming chicks or young birds than  to the more mature outgoing birds. Minimising this risk of transmission should be a top priority for farmers, and requires thorough cleaning and disinfection of the entire poultry shed environment.

Shed building envelope

The most immediate concern will be the envelope of the shed building itself, including walls, floors and panels. The first step is to remove muck and other waste matter from the floor, before using a detergent to clean from the ceiling, down the walls, and finally the floor.

There are a number of different types of detergents available, but the most effective way to remove all grease and soiling is to use one with a foaming action. Biolink’s BioTurbo Plus, for example, is a blend of foaming surfactants, foam and alkaline chelators that is ideal for heavily-soiled farm buildings. Apply generously – it should have the appearance of snow. After leaving for the correct amount of time, wash the detergent off and allow to dry, removing excess water from the floor.

Next, you’ll need to disinfect. This requires a DEFRA approved disinfectant, in order to kill any microbes that may be present.  Disinfectant procedures depend on the product used, so make sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. It is generally recommended to use two disinfectants, the second of which should have a residual action as this continues to wash even after it dries.

To ensure the poultry shed is free of pests, use an insecticide. The best approach here is to spray the shed with the insecticide shortly after the flock has left, as it will still be warm, which means pests such as red mites will be active.

Equipment

While the poultry shed itself will be a priority, it is equally important to clean and disinfect the equipment. If possible, take removable equipment out of the shed to wash. The process differs from one piece of equipment to the next, but common across all is the need to ensure they are completely mucked out prior to cleaning. This includes drinking equipment, as well as feeder pans which may have leftover feed.

Drinking equipment requires a specific approach to ensure the water lines are clean. These should be washed through with appropriate water treatment, ideally one that is known to clear biofilm. Note that this solution is usually at a much higher concentration than used throughout the flock, so it must be drained fully prior to the reintroduction of birds.

Fittings

Fittings can be fiddly to clean, but are nonetheless a key part of the process. Nest boxes, for example, are not generally removable and must therefore be washed and disinfected in the shed.

Ventilation systems have the capacity to harbour pathogens, particularly within the dust that can collect in the fans. The best approach here is to blow or wash the dust into the shed, and ensure this is subsequently cleaned from the floor.

Checking the quality of the clean

We’ve covered a lot of ground here, because getting this right is critical. From a financial and animal welfare perspective, poultry sheds have to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between flocks. Some accreditation schemes will monitor the quality of turnaround hygiene, taking swabs for laboratory analysis to assess what the microbial load is.

The range of surfaces and equipment that require cleaning means farmers must ensure they obtain all of the right materials, with different chemicals designed to specifically address certain applications. To make things easier, All Agri has collated some of the key products here.