Green smelly algae

[Hddesdemona09]

Hi. Thank you. I think I’ll try to turn it over. I love the wood chips idea but my outter run is so big. I just have bird netting over it. The inside dog pen is covered with tarp for rain protection. It’s the weirdest thing and it smells so pungent.

 

[TwoCrows]

The outer run is under some trees. The area catches some sun. It has been so humid I’m hoping the humidity will break to dry it out. I’m not sure if it will die off it looks so green.

Hi. Thank you. I think I’ll try to turn it over. I love the wood chips idea but my outter run is so big. I just have bird netting over it. The inside dog pen is covered with tarp for rain protection. It’s the weirdest thing and it smells so pungent.

Some algae can be toxic so just be careful. Maybe you could till in some sand or yes even wood chips in just the green areas? Anything to help either dry it or change the PH of the soil there.

 

[N F C]

Hi, that's a lot of algae to deal with. Do you have electricity running out to the coop/run? Maybe while your working on diverting the water away from the chicken area and tilling in some sand or chips, you could direct fans onto it to try to help dry out the area?

Best wishes!

 

[Stravager]

It almost sounds like you have a cyanobacteria/blue-green algae outbreak:

Dense blue-green algae blooms may make the water look bluish-green, or like green pea soup or turquoise paint. Very dense blooms may form solid-looking clumps.
Fresh blooms often smell like newly mown grass, while older blooms may smell like rotting garbage.

Causes​

One key factor contributing to the growth of blue-green algae is the amount of available nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen.
Blue-green algal blooms can be caused by agricultural and stormwater runoff as well as leaching from septic systems.
In Ontario, phosphorus tends to be the nutrient that influences the growth of algae.

If you spot it​

Take a cautious approach, as some varieties of this algae can produce toxins that are harmful to both humans and animals.

If you suspect a blue-green algal bloom:

• assume toxins are present
• avoid using, drinking, bathing or swimming in the water (call your local health unit for swimming advisories)
• restrict pet and livestock access to the water

If this is the case, getting rid of it is extremely difficult! Sometimes not even bleach will kill it. You might have to scrape out that area and fill it with sand or something else well draining as well as use some kind of bacteria killer...

 

[Hddesdemona09]

Some algae can be toxic so just be careful. Maybe you could till in some sand or yes even wood chips in just the green areas? Anything to help either dry it or change the PH of the soil there.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC, and good luck in resolving this problem.

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC.
Have you tried lime? You would need too use agricultural lime so it doesn't burn the chickens. I like First Saturday lime. You can buy it from Amazon.

 

[Hddesdemona09]

Awesome. Thanks. I have not tried that. I just put 2 jugs of white vinegar to try and alter the ph. I will try the lime. We’ve gotten a lot of rain with never ending humidity it looks like the water does run down hill a bit but everything has been so wet. Thank you.

 

[DobieLover]

Awesome. Thanks. I have not tried that. I just put 2 jugs of white vinegar to try and alter the ph. I will try the lime. We’ve gotten a lot of rain with never ending humidity it looks like the water does run down hill a bit but everything has been so wet. Thank you.

Don't add the lime right away. You will just neutralize the acidity of the acetic acid. Wait a bit. You should still try to till up the soil and add something to it to aerate it like peat moss.

 

[007Sean]

Howdy, and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!
Hope you can irradicate your algae problem!
Thanks for joining our community!