Mold-how to get rid of it safely?

[beb444]

I have noticed black mold growing in the top corner of my roofed in run. Also, under one of my food containers I noticed some white mold or something that absolutely stinks(like mold). Also with the white stuff, there was a white/gray mealworm type of creature. The other day I just shoveled out all of the mold that was under the container, along with a dead mealworm and put mold resistant insulation under it to try and prevent it. But today I just noticed more. Ugh( How do I deal with it safely around my chickens, but productively? Any tips on how to get rid of it and keep it gone?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mold can cause things like botulism, so you don't want that. I keep my food inside the coop to keep it dry. You could try elevating it so the ground can dry underneath the feeder or you could put the feeder inside another dish that can be taken and cleaned out. I would also put barn lime over the moldy ground in the short term, but you will have to get a better run material, perhaps sand if you are in a high humidity area, otherwise deep litter works too if done properly.

The stuff on the ceiling I wouldn't worry too much about, I would see about increasing ventilation, and maybe paint over the mold or spray it with a diluted bleach solution.

 

[beb444]

Mold can cause things like botulism, so you don't want that. I keep my food inside the coop to keep it dry. You could try elevating it so the ground can dry underneath the feeder or you could put the feeder inside another dish that can be taken and cleaned out. I would also put barn lime over the moldy ground in the short term, but you will have to get a better run material, perhaps sand if you are in a high humidity area, otherwise deep litter works too if done properly.

The stuff on the ceiling I wouldn't worry too much about, I would see about increasing ventilation, and maybe paint over the mold or spray it with a diluted bleach solution.

Thank you! What is barn lime and where can I buy it? Also what's the ratio for the bleach solution? I'm gonna go get some sand this weekend

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We buy barn lime at the farm store or feed store, it comes in 50# bags and I use it where I want stuff dried out, my poop board, in the bottom of my nestboxes, on my concrete floors before I put down bedding. It used a lot in dairy farming.

Bleach is mixed at one cup of bleach to one gallon of water for regular bleach, adjust for the concentrated stuff, lock your chickens up or out of the run, spray it and either just let it dry or try scrubbing some off.

I've used sand inside of my turkey shed, I have a large cat litter scoop taped to a handle to scoop out poop.