Chickens wont stop drinking leach field water!!

[HarleyBarley]

Hey there guys!

Our lichfield has an area that's a little lower than the rest and water can collect there sometimes. We've had a ton of rain lately so the collection has been pretty frequent.

The chickens WILL NOT STOP DRINKING IT. I have no idea what to do and I'm concerned for their health and frankly I don't feel comfortable eating the eggs.

What can I do? My plan is to build a flower bed over it to soak up the excess water, but I'm a few months out from being able to do that.

 

[Aapomp831]

Fence the area off in the meantime

 

[HarleyBarley]

Fence the area off in the meantime

How dangerous is it?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Hey there guys!

Our lichfield has an area that's a little lower than the rest and water can collect there sometimes. We've had a ton of rain lately so the collection has been pretty frequent.

The chickens WILL NOT STOP DRINKING IT. I have no idea what to do and I'm concerned for their health and frankly I don't feel comfortable eating the eggs.

What can I do? My plan is to build a flower bed over it to soak up the excess water, but I'm a few months out from being able to do that.

Are you referring to your septic leach field? Leach fields should ideally be dry. If it is constantly pooling water, that could mean your septic isn't draining sufficiently. This isn't always because your septic is full, it could be a natural place for other water sources to flow. However, it could also mean your septic is full.

If you haven't had your septic drained in a long time, I'd consider having it pumped. If you can't afford it, you need to figure out a way to put less water in your septic. Use your dishwasher instead of washing dishes in the sink, flush the toilet less often or add a brick to the tank to use less water. Take shorter showers. Add RidX to encourage faster breakdown. Stop flushing toilet paper down the drain. And for goodness sake, if you flush grease, sanitary products, and flushable wipes, stop!

If your issue is because water just naturally pools there, this could still affect your septic. Consider adding a French drain to divert water from the area.

As for the chickens, I really don't think I'd be concerned. They poop on grass, and then eat it. I hardly think a little water from septic leaching could be any more harmful. If you are concerned, fence it off with some poultry netting.

I am no expert on any of this, just to be clear. I live with a septic system myself and have had to do a little digging here and there. I grew up with septic too. These are some of the things I've learned over the years.

 

[HarleyBarley]

Are you referring to your septic leach field? Leach fields should ideally be dry. If it is constantly pooling water, that could mean your septic isn't draining sufficiently. This isn't always because your septic is full, it could be a natural place for other water sources to flow. However, it could also mean your septic is full.

If you haven't had your septic drained in a long time, I'd consider having it pumped. If you can't afford it, you need to figure out a way to put less water in your septic. Use your dishwasher instead of washing dishes in the sink, flush the toilet less often or add a brick to the tank to use less water. Take shorter showers. Add RidX to encourage faster breakdown. Stop flushing toilet paper down the drain. And for goodness sake, if you flush grease, sanitary products, and flushable wipes, stop!

If your issue is because water just naturally pools there, this could still affect your septic. Consider adding a French drain to divert water from the area.

As for the chickens, I really don't think I'd be considered. They poop on grass and then eat it. I hardly think a little water from septic leaching could be any more harmful. If you are concerned, fence it off with some poultry netting.

I am no expert on any of this, just to be clear. I live with a septic system myself and have had to do a little digging here and there. I grew up with septic too. These are some of the things I've learned over the years.

I had the septic tank pumped a year ago, but I also had to have my lateral line rerouted because the old clay pipe had busted up. I guess it could be full again. We do use septic treatment. I do occasionally rinse toilet bowl cleaner down the system and only run bleach in the washing machine once a month if that. Now it does turn more downhill than before. I live less than a mile from the banks of a lake so the water table here is pretty high anyway, but in some areas in our neighborhood the land dips a little and water always accumulates.

I do plan to plant a large flower bed there to soak up a lot of that excess water. I believe it's just sitting there because it was the path of least resistance to get there.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

@humblehillsfarm is right. If your leach field is working, you have no concerns with your chickens drinking water from there - and standing water will "push" downwards, which tends to carry potential contaminates away from the puddle, not lift them up (excepting oils and petroleum distillates lighter than water - but you shouldn't be putting those in your septic in the first place).

If your leach field is NOT working, you have much bigger problems than your chickens drinking from a puddle there.

"Bugs in a jug" will help accelerate break downs of solids in your tank. Visually inspect for large trees, whose roots may have infiltrated the field and damaged laterals. Have there been any unusual events - driving a big truck over the field, sudden soil uplift, etc that may have damaged a lateral? Consider getting your tank drained and the field inspected if those are the case.

And finally, whatever is decided, your really shouldn't have water pooling in your field, as that downward pressure helps prevent the field from leaching into the surrounding soils as it should. Carefully regrade to encourage water to pool elsewhere.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I had the septic tank pumped a year ago, but I also had to have my lateral line rerouted because the old clay pipe had busted up. I guess it could be full again. We do use septic treatment. I do occasionally rinse toilet bowl cleaner down the system and only run bleach in the washing machine once a month if that. Now it does turn more downhill than before. I live less than a mile from the banks of a lake so the water table here is pretty high anyway, but in some areas in our neighborhood the land dips a little and water always accumulates.

I do plan to plant a large flower bed there to soak up a lot of that excess water. I believe it's just sitting there because it was the path of least resistance to get there.

Sounds like your issues then are with septic drainage, and likely not the septic itself. Still I feel the greater problem needs to be addressed with more than just a flower bed.

Carefully regrade to encourage water to pool elsewhere.

I didn't even think of regrading! Also a good idea.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I live less than a mile from the banks of a lake so the water table here is pretty high anyway, but in some areas in our neighborhood the land dips a little and water always accumulates.

I do plan to plant a large flower bed there to soak up a lot of that excess water. I believe it's just sitting there because it was the path of least resistance to get there.

First, that sucks. Really limited options. Clay pipe??? OUCH. When those break - age, roots, heavy trucks, you can get some dip in the soil which then renders the rest of the lateral almost useless, which then causes back ups in the tank.

Recommend a low berm, located outside the perimeter of the leach field, at a slight angle to it to help redirect water away from the field when you get heavy rains - and then yes, a well rooting ground cover to protect that berm from erosion. The good news, at least, is that the soil around a leach field tends to be some of the most nitrogen-rich, drought resistant ground on the whole property - so choose plants with that in mind.

 

[3KillerBs]

If your septic tank and field are in such poor condition that the water on top of them is contaminated with sewage then your chickens should be the least of your concern.

Your health and your family's health demands that you have the system professionally inspected and repaired.

 

[HarleyBarley]

@humblehillsfarm is right. If your leach field is working, you have no concerns with your chickens drinking water from there - and standing water will "push" downwards, which tends to carry potential contaminates away from the puddle, not lift them up (excepting oils and petroleum distillates lighter than water - but you shouldn't be putting those in your septic in the first place).

If your leach field is NOT working, you have much bigger problems than your chickens drinking from a puddle there.

"Bugs in a jug" will help accelerate break downs of solids in your tank. Visually inspect for large trees, whose roots may have infiltrated the field and damaged laterals. Have there been any unusual events - driving a big truck over the field, sudden soil uplift, etc that may have damaged a lateral? Consider getting your tank drained and the field inspected if those are the case.

And finally, whatever is decided, your really shouldn't have water pooling in your field, as that downward pressure helps prevent the field from leaching into the surrounding soils as it should. Carefully regrade to encourage water to pool elsewhere.

Yeah its definitely a few factors. Our water table is HIGH. We are less than a mile from a lake. In the summer though, there are no issues with our leech field. Right now, with all the rain and everything it is much more soggy there. We're planning on basically adding a foot or 2 of dirt over the entire area. We aren't in a normal neighborhood and so the ground is super uneven out here. We replaced and rerouted the lateral line with PVC.