<<and lime doesnt hurt the chickens or ducks? what does it do exactly. so helpful! I love it>>
If it's plain garden lime or agricultural lime, it shouldn't cause any problem for any animals, other than sensible precautions like not breathing it in (i.e., scatter it when the animaals aren't in the pens/coops/stalls). It's not like quicklime, also called unslaked lime or burnt lime, which is very caustic--used to be used to quickly decompose bodies, etc. The only time I don't use lime and use a commercial odor preparation like Sweet PDZ, is when I have a foaling. Better safe than sorry!
Lime does tend to cut down on barn odors, which is why most of us use it. However, it's not the best idea to put it on compost piles with the intent of cutting odors--it will tend to slow down the decomposition of the compost materials. Better to use a cover layer of hay or something similar to block the odors.
Lime will also have some effect on invertebrates, like insects, which can make it a good idea under bedding if lice or other pests are a problem. Again, this very quality is another reason NOT to use it on a compost pile, since you actually want the invertebrates there to help break down the compost. (If the eventual garden or field which will get the compost needs lime, it's better to apply it directly to the field/garden rather than mixing it with the "working" compost.)
Rhonda
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