wood ash, is that safe?

Linda V said:

Just saw a YouTube video that said pure wood ash is good but then they turned around and said "if it gets wet - it makes lye and that will burn their feet!"

We have a fire pit but only burn hardwood in it...no chems to start the fires, and now I'm afraid to use the wood ash.

Anyone out there know if this video was wrong or was he referring to wood ash that has treated lumber or other chems in it? If this is going to burn my girls' feet - I've got to remove it ASAP! Thanks folks!

Linda in NC
6/24/17

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I think it has to be submerged in water for quite awhile for Ph to change enough to produce lye. Just getting wet in the rain is not going to do that or we'd hear a lot more about it as many folks have birds dusting in the fire pit.
ETA...don't over do the permethrin or other pesticides, it can create resistance. 2 treatments 7-10 days between should suffice. If you have the mites that live in coop structure, and only feed after dark, the coop needs to be treated also.

Back in the "GOOD OLD DAYS" of sustainable agriculture farmers fed coal to their livestock for a worm medicine.

aart said:

I think it has to be submerged in water for quite awhile for Ph to change enough to produce lye. Just getting wet in the rain is not going to do that or we'd hear a lot more about it as many folks have birds dusting in the fire pit.
ETA...don't over do the permethrin or other pesticides, it can create resistance. 2 treatments 7-10 days between should suffice. If you have the mites that live in coop structure, and only feed after dark, the coop needs to be treated also.

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THANK HEAVENS! It just didn't make sense to me that hundreds of life-long chicken people would have this wrong! But the person who said it produced lye when wet was overstating that - big time! The "she" was the chicken chick who I've grown to trust but she had that one WRONG!

Will heed your permethrin advice too....thanks for that also, George!

Most interesting about the coal being fed to livestock, but charcoal is a great toxic filter or sponge...so that does make sense. Makes me think of Cool (?) cigs when they put the charcoal filter on it and said it was "safe"....lol! What a joke, eh?

My dog used to get charcoal treats and loved them, but they are not around any more, which is a real shame.

Thanks for posting, George and I am serious! !

ps: Love your anti-PETA post....hilarious!!!
They would die if they watched the TV series "Mountain Men"...lol!

Linda V said:

THANK HEAVENS! It just didn't make sense to me that hundreds of life-long chicken people would have this wrong! But the person who said it produced lye when wet was overstating that - big time! The "she" was the chicken chick who I've grown to trust but she had that one WRONG!

Will heed your permethrin advice too....thanks for that also, George!

Most interesting about the coal being fed to livestock, but charcoal is a great toxic filter or sponge...so that does make sense. Makes me think of Cool (?) cigs when they put the charcoal filter on it and said it was "safe"....lol! What a joke, eh?

My dog used to get charcoal treats and loved them, but they are not around any more, which is a real shame.

Thanks for posting, George and I am serious! !

ps: Love your anti-PETA post....hilarious!!!
They would die if they watched the TV series "Mountain Men"...lol!

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I stopped trusting the chicken chick when she posted a story about some woman's chickens all dying within a couple of weeks because she varied their rations a tiny bit.... Chickens wouldn't be around anymore if that was true. And she is sponsored by a big poultry feed company....
Anyway, good news! I had a feeling the woodash would be just fine...

Woah! Thanks for telling me that! Now that I know this, it makes sense! Another thing that bothers me sometimes is when I see people talking about using SAND around their chickens without mentioning - if it's not the exact right kind - they will die from cilica! (sp?) I use all-purpose sand from HD and they've enjoyed dust bathing, in it and in the hot months - nesting in it! Nothing wrong with my girls, other than this mite thing.

Many things are exaggerated, or taken out of context, or misinterpreted.
Always bets to bring your grains of salt, research information from more than one source, and use your own good logic to assess information.