water Toxic to poultry and waterfowl?? new roof leaching chemicals into downspouts ?!?

[Jenbirdee]

my geese area is right behind my house and we just got a new roof and the geese like to dig and drink from the rainwater that comes out the downspouts - i just noticed an oily substance in the water coming from the downspouts so i moved the geese away from it at least for today. i wonder will they get sick from it ? and how long it may take for the roof/downspout water to be safe again?? does anyone have experience with using asphalt shingles on coops or other buildings where waterfowl and poultry have access to the rainwater that rolls off??

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi Jen,

A lot of us have rainwater barrels that collect the water from our asphalt shingled roof and that is considered better water than even from our well, with no problems but our roof is several years old. Asphalt is petroleum-based, so thus why you're seeing oil, but it must be because it's new.

I can't imagine how long it would take to get the initial oils off the shingles, and warm weather would definitely speed that up, but in the meantime, I wouldn't let my chickens near it either. Can you perhaps plumb the run-off farther away where the geese can't get to it for a while and see if it improves in time?