white fuzzy stuff growing on the ground?

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GoodEgg

GoodEgg

Songster
12 Years
Feb 12, 2007
724
11
159
NW Florida
I know I read a post about this when I first started coming here, but I can't turn it up with any of the search terms I've tried.

I was wondering about white fuzz growing overnight on moist ground. It comes up in little patches, usually about a foot square, and not thick, just a slight fuzzy film.

Does anyone know what this could be? And if it could be dangerous to the chickens?

I don't know if I did wrong before, but often I would pour feed on the ground (when the ground was dry) and they would clean it up pretty quickly. I started worrying that they might miss some and it might go bad overnight, so I started using a few overturned dog frisbees around the run for food holders. Now I'm seeing this white stuff growing on the ground. It shouldn't be leftover feed, since I don't put it directly down anymore.

Thanks, if anyone knows what it could be, and if I need to be concerned. Honestly, I have no idea what I could do about it if it IS dangerous, so I hope it's not!

Thanks!
trish
 
Wow, I don't know what it is unless is is trace amounts of leftover feed molding and growing. I wouldn't take any chances on botulism and I would clean it up, scraping the ground under the mold and burning it.
 
Definately sounds like some sort of mold...whish is NOT healthy for your chickens. You might look into getting some garden lime...and putting a layer down in the run, then turning the dirt. Hope this helps ya!
 
its mold, i get it sometimes when the feeders been in one place for too long - the best thing to do is move the feeder to a different spot each day
 
I used to put feed in a pie pan and I got that mold on the ground. The chickens would stand on the edge of the pie pan and the food would dump out, or they fling it out while they are eating.

I had some left over items from a dog we used to have. (sad, but a few years ago, glad I kept her stuff)

I started using my dog's un-tippable stainless steel water dish for their food, which is deeper so not as much gets flung out, and its steady so they can stand on the edge. With rainy weather on the way, I keep the dish in the old dog house, they have easy access to it, and none of it ends up on the damp ground

Angie in Oregon
 
Sigh ... I knew it was some kind of mold. I was hoping I wouldn't have to take drastic means to deal with it.

The problem is that I have thick grass in the run. The only way to be RID of the patches would be to dig up the soil and grass, and I don't want to dig big holes all over the run.

I will look into heavier bowls for now, probably INSIDE the coop. When they finish up the frisbees, they turn them upside down. Always. (Kinda funny, actually.) But it may be scattering a little feed.

Someone mentioned lime? I have a big bag of powdered lime my boss gave me. If I sprinkle that out, can I water it in, and let the chickens out on it the next morning? Will that take care of mold?

If not, I sure would appreciate any suggestions. Looks like I might have to feed in the coop after all, for the sake of not having wet feed around. It's just too humid here, plus we have to wet the run down a few times a day for them.

Thanks SO much everyone!
trish
 
I'd just scrape it with a shovel and spray some bleach on it. We get it here if we don't clean the horses' paddocks for a while. I just also read you can sprinkle some Oxy-clean (apparently oxygenated bleach?) on it that will kill it and not harm the plants...
 

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