Then I realised it was a warm and sunny day.
I had promised myself that the very next warm and sunny day, I would clean out and Poultry Shield the largest chicken house ("the Shed") at the allotment.
I could wait until the next sunny day.
But it's already May 2nd, and usually I'd have had this done by early April. If I didn't do it today and we ended up with Red Mite, I'd be kicking myself for being so lazy.
So I got up and got ready.
Shower cap and gloves on, it's a matter of minutes remove the poo trays and nest boxes out of the shed. Sweeping up the Aubiose takes much longer,, because I have to get it out of the corners. And sweeping all the cobwebs. I hate doing that, poor spiders - but they have to come down to make sure the Poultry Shield covers everything. Spraying the Poultry Shield (PS) takes a while. I have a pump sprayer, and this makes it less hard work (when I started, I used a hand sprayer, and that used to kill me!),
The spray loosens some of the poo which is on the floor away from the perches. A scraper gets these up, and then I PS again. The I eave the door open, while I dust and spray the nest boxes.
By this stage, I have stuff everywhere, and I'm starting to get tired. While I'm waiting for the wooden bits to dry, I scrub and disinfect the poo trays. Then I clean and disinfect the drinkers while I'm waiting. And disinfect the watering can.
Time passes.
Eventually, the nestboxes are dry enough to be Diatomed. Then part of the shed is dry enough, and that gets diatomed too, as does my face, front, and trousers.
Eventually, the shed is dry enough to have the nest boxes back in. And the poo trays. Then the Aubiose goes in to the nestboxes, the poo trsays, and the floor, and it all looks and smells wonderful.
A final PS puff along the perches, and teh ends of the perches, and that's done.
I look like I've been rolling in something. Thank goodness for BioTex.
