Poultry encyclopedia · NEXTEKCI School · Farm equipment
Footbath and disinfection equipment
A footbath is a tray of disinfectant at the entrance to every house, where boots are dipped on the way in and on the way out. Together with dedicated boots and clothing, hand washing and a sprayer, it makes up the small kit that keeps germs out.
Key facts
- Where
- At the entrance to every house
- Renewal
- Every 1 to 2 days, and after rain
- Protection
- Covered, sheltered from sun and rain
- Product
- Broad-spectrum, fast-acting disinfectant, at the dose on the label
- Before dipping
- Brush the boots: mud neutralises the disinfectant
- Downtime
- 10 to 14 days after a disease-free flock, 21 to 30 days after a disease
What the footbath is for
Germs come in mainly on feet: mud from the market, droppings from another farm, dust from the road. The footbath disinfects boots at every visit. Both boots are dipped on the way into the house and on the way out.
It only works if it is looked after: a dirty footbath, diluted by rain or dried out, gives reassurance without protection.
Setting it up and keeping it working
One tray at the entrance to each house, covered to protect it from sun and rain, filled with a broad-spectrum, fast-acting disinfectant, because contact time is short, at the dose shown on the label. Renew it every 1 to 2 days and after every rainfall.
Keep a brush beside it: brush the boots before dipping them, because mud and droppings make the disinfectant inactive. At the farm entrance, a changing room and, if possible, a dip or spray for vehicle wheels complete the set-up.
The rest of the hygiene kit
Boots and clothing kept for each house; a way to wash or disinfect hands at the entrance; a sprayer, detergent and disinfectant for cleaning between flocks; traps or bait stations against rats; a closed pit or bin, away from the house, for dead birds; a visitors’ book.
Visitors (vet, technician, buyer) are given the farm’s boots and overalls and go through the footbath like everyone else.
Cleaning and disinfecting between flocks
Disinfectant poured onto dirt disinfects almost nothing. The order is always the same: remove the litter, dry-clean, wash with water and detergent from top to bottom, rinse, repair, leave to dry, then disinfect every surface with a broad-spectrum product at the dose on the label.
Downtime starts once the house is washed, disinfected and dry: 10 to 14 days after a disease-free flock, 21 to 30 days after a disease, and 4 weeks or more after Gumboro or avian influenza, as advised by the vet.
Safety and common mistakes
Wear gloves and goggles when preparing solutions, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and store products closed, away from feed, eggs and children. Never mix two products without advice.
Frequent mistakes: an uncovered footbath diluted by rain; muddy boots dipped without brushing; the footbath skipped “just for a minute”; disinfectant sprayed on a poorly washed house; cardboard equipment reused instead of destroyed.