A Field Story: The Morning Uncle Prasert Walked Back Into His Chicken House

Uncle Prasert runs a family farm with laying hens and fattening pigs in Bang Nam Priao district, Chachoengsao, a low-lying area crisscrossed by canals and rice fields. The farm has two laying houses and one pig barn. The family's main income comes from selling eggs to the district market and pigs to a local trader. This year, days of heavy rain pushed the canals over their banks, and water flooded the buildings to almost half a meter. Uncle Prasert and his son herded the pigs to higher ground and moved the hens to a temporary shelter at a relative's place.

Ten days later, when the water finally drained away, he walked into the chicken house for the first time. The ammonia from manure that had soaked in floodwater, mixed with the stink of rotting mud, was strong enough to make his eyes water. The rice husk bedding had turned into sticky sludge. The feed troughs held soured feed covered in green mold. The wooden walls and posts carried a long band of mold along the old waterline. In the pig barn, water still sat in the grooves of the concrete floor, and there were dead rats and swarms of flies in several corners.

What worried him most was not the mess. It was disease. He knew that if he brought the birds and pigs back into buildings still loaded with germs, animals already weakened by the move and the stress could fall sick and die easily. A disease outbreak on the farm could cost far more than the flood itself. He tried spreading lime and washing down with the products he had, but he was not sure whether it was enough.

Many livestock farmers in Bang Nam Priao, Bang Khla, Phanom Sarakham and other low-lying parts of Chachoengsao are facing the same question during the 2026 floods: how do you make the buildings clean enough to bring the animals home safely?

Why Flooded Animal Houses Are Risky for Animals and People

Livestock buildings always contain a lot of organic matter: manure, bedding and spilled feed. When floodwater sits in a building for days, all of that ferments in the water, joined by germs carried in from elsewhere. The building becomes a giant incubator. When the water leaves, the mud and wet materials left behind still hold those organisms on every surface.

Heat makes it worse. Thailand's post-flood weather is hot and humid, and a closed or semi-closed animal house quickly turns into a warm, damp environment where bacteria multiply and mold spreads across wood, bedding and stored feed. Ammonia from wet manure builds up in still air, creating a harsh atmosphere for both animals and people.

Risks to animal health

• Digestive illness and diarrhea. Bacteria in the mud and spoiled feed can cause scours, weight loss and general weakness.
• Respiratory disease. Ammonia and mold spores irritate the airways of poultry and pigs, making secondary infections much more likely.
• Moldy feed. Damp, moldy feed may contain fungal toxins that affect animal health and productivity.

Risks to farmers

• Leptospirosis. Rats and other animals fleeing the water leave urine in mud and puddles inside the buildings. Farmers wading through water or with cuts on their feet are at high risk.
• Skin infections and diarrhea from contact with contaminated mud and manure.
• Allergies and breathing problems from dust, mold spores and ammonia during the clean-up.

The economic cost

On a family farm, every animal is capital. Restocking into a building that is not truly clean can raise sickness and death rates, lower egg production and slow pig growth. A strong smell from the farm can also cause friction with neighbors who have just been through the same flood.

Why Ordinary Cleaning May Not Be Enough

1. Hosing down only. Water shifts mud and manure but does not disinfect, and puddles left in floor grooves become new breeding grounds for germs.

2. Spreading lime only. Lime helps dry the floor and reduce some germs, but it does not cover walls, posts, roof framing, feed troughs or equipment.

3. Strong bleach. High-strength bleach can corrode steel frames, wire cages and watering systems, and residual chlorine smell can irritate animals when they return.

4. Leaving the building open to the wind. This speeds drying, but mold remains in wood and porous materials and the ammonia smell keeps coming back.

5. Restocking too early. Bringing animals back before surfaces are clean and dry exposes them to exactly the germs the farmer is trying to avoid.

A flooded animal house needs a systematic sequence: remove contaminated material, wash thoroughly, disinfect every surface and deal with mold and odor in the air. That is what WHD's service is built to support.

The Solution: Chemgene HLD4H Fogging Plus Ozone Treatment by WHD

World Health Disinfection (WHD) provides professional disinfection fogging and ozone treatment for many kinds of buildings. For flooded animal houses, our work prepares the building before the animals return, and it follows one non-negotiable rule: we only work in empty buildings.

Step one: fogging with Chemgene HLD4H

CHEMGENE HLD4H is a high-level disinfectant effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi. It is chlorine-free and does not corrode metal, so it is gentle on steel cages, feed lines and watering systems. We use an ultra-low-volume (ULV) fogger to cover floors, walls, posts, roof framing and every piece of equipment in the building.

Step two: ozone treatment for enclosed buildings

For closed evaporative-cooling houses, feed stores and equipment rooms, we use the Master Ozone Generator. Ozone destroys mold and bacteria in hidden spaces and breaks down accumulated odor molecules. After ventilation it reverts to oxygen and leaves no residue. For open-sided buildings that cannot be sealed, fogging is the main method.

Our six-step service process

1. Site survey. We inspect the buildings, the flood level, construction type, where manure and mud have collected and the feed store, and confirm that all animals have been moved out.
2. Removal and washing advice. We advise removing all bedding, moldy feed and manure, then washing floors and equipment before disinfection, because leftover organic matter reduces the disinfectant's effectiveness.
3. Chemgene HLD4H fogging. We fog the whole building, including floors, walls, posts, cages, feed and water lines and roof framing, then allow the full contact time.
4. Ozone treatment. Closed houses and feed stores are sealed and treated according to their size, with no people or animals inside.
5. Ventilation and drying. The building is opened until ozone has dissipated and surfaces are completely dry.
6. Re-check and advice. We check odor and condition before handover and advise on an appropriate rest period before restocking.

Please note: If animals on the farm show signs of illness or unusual deaths, contact a veterinarian or the district livestock office promptly, and dispose of carcasses according to the guidance of the Department of Livestock Development. WHD's service cleans and disinfects buildings. It does not treat animals.

10 Reasons Bang Nam Priao Farms Choose WHD

1. A process built around animal safety. We only work in empty buildings.
2. No corrosion of cages and equipment. Chemgene HLD4H protects steel frames and water lines.
3. Every surface covered. Fine mist reaches roof framing and the gaps around posts. See our disinfection service.
4. Less accumulated odor. Ozone breaks down smells in closed houses. Read more about ozone odor removal.
5. Mold control in feed stores. Lowers the risk of the next batch of feed going moldy.
6. No lingering chlorine smell. Nothing harsh to irritate animals when they return.
7. Lower leptospirosis risk for farmers. Former rat areas are disinfected.
8. Straightforward advice. We tell you clearly what to remove and wash first.
9. Whole-farm care. Combine with our mosquito spraying service to reduce mosquitoes and insects after the flood.
10. Easy to reach. Call 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268. We serve Bang Nam Priao, Bang Khla, Phanom Sarakham and nearby areas.

Before and After Fogging and Ozone Treatment

What Farmers Say

"The team made it clear from the start that every hen and pig had to be moved out first. They told me to clear out the bedding and moldy feed and wash the floors before they fogged. After the fogging and the ozone treatment in the feed store, and once everything had aired out and dried, the smell in the house was much lighter. I felt far more comfortable bringing the animals back."
— Uncle Prasert, layer and pig farmer, Bang Nam Priao, Chachoengsao (field story)

In another case, Auntie Somporn, who keeps laying ducks beside a canal in a neighboring subdistrict, had floodwater in her duck house and feed store. She moved her ducks to higher ground temporarily, and our team fogged the duck house and ozone treated the feed store. After ventilation and the recommended rest period, she brought her ducks home and carried on.

What Farmers Should Do After the Water Recedes

• Protect yourself. Wear rubber boots, rubber gloves and a mask every time you enter the buildings, to reduce leptospirosis risk and avoid breathing ammonia and mold spores.
• Care for animals in temporary housing. Provide clean water and dry feed and watch for signs of illness. Report sick animals or unusual deaths to the district livestock office.
• Remove contaminated materials. Bedding and wet or moldy feed should not be reused.
• Wash buildings and equipment. Scrub away as much manure and mud as possible before disinfection.
• Check electrics and pumps. Have a technician inspect them, especially fans and cooling systems in closed houses.
• Book fogging and ozone treatment once the building is empty and washed.

For daily care after restocking, many farmers keep a CHEMGENE HLD4H spray (750 ml) to wipe down tools, buckets and door handles. If the farmhouse also flooded, our residential ozone disinfection can be scheduled at the same visit.

Biosecurity Habits That Protect the New Cycle

Disinfecting the buildings gives the farm a clean start, but good habits keep it that way. After a flood, the surrounding area is still full of contamination for weeks, so everyday biosecurity matters even more than usual.

• Use a foot dip or boot change at every entrance. Mud carried in on boots is one of the easiest ways to bring germs back inside.
• Limit visitors. Keep traders, neighbors and vehicles away from the animal houses where possible, and ask anyone who must enter to clean their footwear.
• Keep feed dry and covered. Store new feed off the floor on pallets, away from walls, and check it regularly for damp or mold.
• Control rats and flies. Remove rubbish and spilled feed promptly, seal gaps in walls and keep drains flowing.
• Watch the animals closely. In the first weeks after restocking, note changes in appetite, droppings, breathing or egg output, and call a veterinarian early if something looks wrong.
• Keep records. Write down cleaning dates, feed deliveries and any health problems. Records help your vet and help you plan for the next rainy season.

Planning Ahead for the Next Rainy Season

Bang Nam Priao is low-lying and laced with canals, so flooding may return. A little planning now can save a great deal of money and stress later. Consider raising feed storage and electrical panels above the highest water mark you saw this year. Map out a route and a temporary site for moving animals quickly, and agree in advance with relatives or neighbors who can help. Keep a small stock of disinfectant, gloves, boots and masks ready before the season starts.

It is also worth talking to your district livestock office about local guidance and any support programs for flood-affected farmers. When the next warning comes, a farm that already has a plan can move animals, protect feed and restart much faster, and that resilience is the best protection for a family's livelihood.

Handling Manure, Bedding and Waste Safely

One of the hardest jobs after a flood is getting rid of the soaked manure, ruined bedding and spoiled feed. This material is heavy, smelly and heavily contaminated, and how you handle it affects both your family's health and your neighbors'. Move it out of the buildings as early as possible, because every extra day in the heat means more bacteria, more flies and more ammonia.

Pile waste well away from houses, wells and canals, and on ground that will not flood again soon. Cover piles where possible to keep rain off and reduce flies. Never dump manure or carcasses into canals or floodwater, which only spreads disease downstream to other farms and communities. Follow local guidance on disposal or composting, and ask the district livestock office if you are unsure. Once the waste is out, the buildings can be washed and disinfected properly, and the whole farm will smell and feel very different.

Why the Feed Store Deserves Special Attention

Feed is one of the biggest running costs on any livestock farm, and the feed store is often the place mold hits hardest after a flood. Sacks stacked on the floor soak up water from below, and even sacks above the waterline absorb humidity from the damp air. Mold that starts in one corner of the store can quietly spread to fresh deliveries if the room is not cleaned and treated first.

Before any new feed arrives, remove every damaged sack, sweep and wash the floor and walls, and let the room dry. Our team then fogs the store with Chemgene HLD4H and, where the room can be closed, follows with ozone treatment to tackle spores and musty odor in the air and in gaps in the walls and roof. Afterward, store sacks on pallets away from the walls, keep the door closed against rain, and use older stock first. These simple steps protect both the animals and the farm's budget.

Looking After the Farm Family, Too

On a family farm, the people cleaning up are usually the same people who live a few meters away. Parents, grandparents and children all share the same yard, the same air and often the same water source. After the flood, keep young children and older relatives away from the animal houses until cleaning and disinfection are finished. Make sure drinking water comes from a safe source, and wash hands carefully after any farm work. If anyone in the family develops fever, muscle aches or red eyes in the weeks after the flood, see a doctor and mention that you have been working in floodwater, as early treatment for leptospirosis makes a real difference. A healthy family is the farm's most important asset.

Recovery after a flood is also tiring and stressful. Share the work, take regular breaks in the shade, drink plenty of clean water and accept help from neighbors and local volunteers where it is offered. Bringing in professional disinfection is one way to lighten the load on the family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can you fog or ozone treat while animals are still in the building?
A: No. All animals must always be moved out first. High-concentration ozone is harmful to animals and people, and you should wait until the disinfectant is dry and the building is fully ventilated before animals return.

Q: How long after treatment can animals come back?
A: It depends on the building type, ventilation and humidity. We will recommend a suitable time after the work is finished. In general, the building should be completely dry with no ozone smell remaining.

Q: Do I need to wash the building before you fog it?
A: Yes. Leftover manure and mud reduce the effectiveness of any disinfectant. We will advise on removing materials and washing before the appointment.

Q: Will Chemgene HLD4H damage steel cages or watering systems?
A: Chemgene HLD4H does not corrode metal, so it is suitable for cages and farm equipment. Even so, rinse drinkers and feed troughs with clean water before putting them back into use.

Q: Will this service prevent animal disease outbreaks?
A: Disinfecting buildings is one part of a farm's disease prevention system, but it does not replace vaccination, veterinary care or Department of Livestock Development measures. They should all work together.

Q: Which areas do you serve?
A: Bang Nam Priao, Bang Khla, Phanom Sarakham, Mueang Chachoengsao and nearby provinces, as well as Bangkok and its surrounding area. Call 065-556-6294 or message LINE @whd268.

Get Your Buildings Ready Before the Animals Come Home

A clean animal house is where a safe new production cycle begins. Contact World Health Disinfection today.

See Disinfection Service – Click Here

Book Ozone Treatment – Click Here

Call 065-556-6294 | LINE @whd268 | Email worldhealthdisinfection@gmail.com

Related Links

• Ozone treatment for odors and chemical residue
• Master Ozone Generator
• Mosquito spraying service
• All WHD articles
• External sources: WHO – Floods and health and Thailand Department of Disease Control