# Is baking soda safe to put in pig pens for odor control?



## arieschick (Mar 24, 2013)

Is there anything that can be put in pig pens to help minimize flies and that putrid smell, such as baking soda on the ground? I'm not sure if it would harm the pigs if they eat it, or if it would even help. Any advice?


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Carbon is what you want. It soaks up the nitrogen. Wood chips, wood shavings, saw dust, etc. Straw works well too. Build it up into a compost pile. You're making valuable gardening amendments.



Compost pile building is an important skill on the homestead and farm.


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## HardBall (Dec 23, 2010)

arieschick said:


> Is there anything that can be put in pig pens to help minimize flies and that putrid smell, such as baking soda on the ground? I'm not sure if it would harm the pigs if they eat it, or if it would even help. Any advice?


Answer to your question is yes. Any basic pH amendment (baking soda, limestone, calcium, gypsum, etc.) will reduce odor; as it is caused by Nitrogen compounds which are acidic pH.


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## razor1616 (Mar 22, 2013)

We have sprinkled wood ash on their poop spot to help. It does not seem to harm, or bother the pigs at all.

~Nathan


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

I'd hate to pay for enough baking soda to be able to make a difference.. You'd be better off with lump charcoal, but that wouldn't be so cheap either unless you could make your own..


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Aye, price is part of why I would suggest the wood chips or something like them instead. Makes good soil amendment later.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

I agree.... wouldn't hurt the hogs, but you would need way more than would be practical.

Straw and wood shavings are fine but usually aren't free. If you are trying to be frugal, leaves, sawdust, wood chips from utilities cleaning right-of-ways, etc. can help.

Used to be you could go to a sawmill that had a log peeler and get bark for free. It was terrific for lots of things. Now they have found they can grind it up and sell it for mulch and it is seldom available.


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## gerold (Jul 18, 2011)

o&itw said:


> I agree.... wouldn't hurt the hogs, but you would need way more than would be practical.
> 
> Straw and wood shavings are fine but usually aren't free. If you are trying to be frugal, leaves, sawdust, wood chips from utilities cleaning right-of-ways, etc. can help.
> 
> Used to be you could go to a sawmill that had a log peeler and get bark for free. It was terrific for lots of things. Now they have found they can grind it up and sell it for mulch and it is seldom available.


Straw, sawdust, etc. is very good. Here in S.E. Mo. there are a few sawmills within 1 mile. They are glad to give me all the chips,sawdust , etc. away. Once a year a couple of them haul me truck loads to put on some of my fields. No cost to me.

Best,
Gerold.


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## Pig in a poke (Mar 27, 2013)

There's a product used for horse stalls called Sweet PDZ. It's an odorless, fine, white powder. My piglets are starting to learn to exit the stall and do their business outdoors. But for a while there, the stall floor was smelly. The Sweet PDZ helps neutralize the odor, and it is safe for immediate use with animals, unlike lime. You can add your choice of bedding on top, if you like. But I like to let the wet spots dry out first.

TSC supposedly carries it, though I've never seen it around here. I buy mine at the local farmers co-op. I just checked, there's a sweetpdz website, but my computer keeps warning me the site could be harmful. 

I have wondered about baking soda, but have no idea if it is available in bulk and at what price.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

I've seen arm and hammer baking soda in 50lb bags used for buffering cattle feed.


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## arieschick (Mar 24, 2013)

Thanks to everyone for the advice. We do throw hay on the pile but it just doesn't seen to be enough, the flies are unbelievable. We have fly ribbon everywhere! Compost was our original idea but in this La heat and humidity I think the horrible odor may out weight the benefits of the compost! The horses don't even like to hang out much at that end of the field. I have tons of pine straw from the zillion pine trees we have but I don't know if it would be worth the work if raking or up if the hay isn't doing the job. I wonder if we put baking soda or another product on it along with hay n pine straw if it would be harmful in the garden after it has become compost. Or if mulch would help since that's wood chips.


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## CesumPec (May 20, 2011)

Pine straw will do the job. And the compost pile will not smell bad if you have enough carbon.


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