Help needed. Possible mold from water seeping in.

[Sbenson92620]

I bought my coop used. It's very well made and sturdy. I've added a more secure door and some more ventilation. I recently noticed some black spots (mildew?) in the interior of the coop, where the walls meet. Upon further inspection I've found that where the walls meet are not sealed on the outside. There are cracks where the walls meet and the roof does not overhang enough to prevent rain from seeping in. Here is my dilemma... this is a temporary coop until we move in about a year or two. I don't want to do any crazy renovations to it (my skills are limited) but I will do what I need to to make this safe. I dont want my girls breathing in mold or mildew. I do plan on adding a carport over the coop for protection from the sun, rain and snow.
So, what I would like to do is seal up the cracks on the exterior where the walls meet. My first thought was to use silicone caulk to do this. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could easily seal up where the exterior walls meet? I've already added ventilation on front and back of coop to help with the mold and I'm going to be doing a deep clean this weekend with vinegar and possibly peroxide. If I were to use the caulk I would air out the interior of the coop for the day before allowing them back in at dusk. I attached photos so you could see the areas I'm concerned about. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!

 

[3KillerBs]

My first thought was to use silicone caulk to do this. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could easily seal up where the exterior walls meet?

Just make sure that it's exterior-grade caulk and you should be good.

 

[Sbenson92620]

Photo of potential mildew/mold that I'm concerned about. I have noticed it in all 4 corners but this one seemed the worst.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Could be mold or mildew.. it’s not dust is it?

 

[Sbenson92620]

Could be mold or mildew.. it’s not dust is it?

There is some dust and dander from the birds and the pine shavings. There is also some white spots which is overspray from when the guy painted it. But the dark area is definitely black spots on the wood. I believe it's mildew, I was able to scrape some off with my fingernail in one spot. It's really hard to get a good photo of it.

 

[Mutchi]

i was cleaning my coop yesterday and saw black stuf like that. i just washed it of and thought it wasn't to magor. now that i think about it was it mold?

 

[Sbenson92620]

Just make sure that it's exterior-grade caulk and you should be good.

Thank you, I'll make sure of that!

 

[Sbenson92620]

i was cleaning my coop yesterday and saw black stuf like that. i just washed it of and thought it wasn't to magor. now that i think about it was it mold?

My husband seems to think that it's just the grain of the wood... but he hasn't looked very closely at it like I have. I would say that if you were able to wash scrape it off then yes... it was probably mildew or mold. I've been told to wash the areas affected, make sure coop is water tight and to increase air flow but not make it drafty. I added two vents to the front and back of the coop as high up as I could.

 

[Mutchi]

My husband seems to think that it's just the grain of the wood... but he hasn't looked very closely at it like I have. I would say that if you were able to wash scrape it off then yes... it was probably mildew or mold. I've been told to wash the areas affected, make sure coop is water tight and to increase air flow but not make it drafty. I added two vents to the front and back of the coop as high up as I could.

ya i just washed it of and walked away but we do have a water contaner that dripps every now and again

 

[3KillerBs]

Plenty of ventilation will be your best friend here. You'll want to aim for 1 square foot of ventilation per adult, standard-sized hen.

My test to know if I need more ventilation is to put my head and shoulders into the coop on a warm, sunny day. If it's warmer in than out I need more ventilation.