Chickens scratching in sewer drain pipe overflow

[Kymarose]

Hi.. my name is Kymarose... I'm fairly new to posting on BYC. I have a strange question.

My chickens and ducks are free range, and we live in the Willamette Valley of Oregon where it is usually very wet during winter months. On our property... and adjoining properties... there are many winter springs, with water running out of the ground. Our sewer drain lines get full and seep onto the ground surface. So.. my question is, how much harm is it for the chickens and ducks to scratch and eat in that area? It sounds horrible to me and I have it fenced off, but some of the chickens do go over the fence to get to that wet area. I'm not sure how to completely stop them and I'm not sure how problematic this would be to their eggs.

Any one with answers for me?

The water there is not totally sewer water as it has been filtered through the ground and mixed with spring water.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

 

[petrel]

I'd collect a water sample and have it evaluated by the county or an independent testing facility. If there is any sewage mixed in that water, I'd think it should be remedied. Here the county would force you to re-build or relocate your drain field if there was sewage seeping to the surface under any conditions.

No I would not let the chickens near it if it tests positive for anything that may have originated from your sewer system.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd collect a water sample and have it evaluated by the county or an independent testing facility. If there is any sewage mixed in that water, I'd think it should be remedied. Here the county would force you to re-build or relocate your drain field if there was sewage seeping to the surface under any conditions.

No I would not let the chickens near it if it tests positive for anything that may have originated from your sewer system.

X2

The issue is not what may or may not be happening inside the eggs. The issue is whether or not you have raw sewage that could be breeding nasty stuff on the spot. It could be transmitted by flies or vermin, it could be on the chickens feet and feathers and find its way to the outside of the eggs, to the nests, to practically anything. Many deadly human diseases are nurtured and spread by raw sewage.

Get it tested.

 

[pdirt]

X3 get it tested. By sewer do you mean municipal sewer or do you mean septic system? In either case you don't want raw sewage as surface water. If you do test positive for sewage bacteria, you'll want to remedy the drainage problem and treat the area affected with something like EM (effective microorganisms).

 

[Kymarose]

It is a septic tank system. Thanks for your replies. I will set about having it tested.