How have you cured mold?

[mtnhomechick]

I run an extension cord.

 

[Nugget]

I found some useful information on wikipedia. It agrees with MaransGuy and says that mold in the winter forms because of drafts, and mold is a problem in warm months when it's too air tight.

Our pullets weren't going in the coop at night, prefering to sleep in their run. I didn't want this habit to develop so I had been putting them in and closing their hatch at night several times last week. That would definately have cut down the air flow, and now we're paying for it. I bet we're on to somthing.

From wikipedia: If there are mold problems in a house only during certain times of the year, then it is probably either too air-tight, or too drafty. Mold problems occur in airtight homes more frequently in the warmer months (when humidity reaches high levels inside the house, and moisture is trapped), and occur in drafty homes more frequently in the colder months (when warm air escapes from the living area into unconditioned space, and condenses). If a house is artificially humidified during the winter, this can create conditions favorable to mold. Moving air may prevent mold from growing since it has the same desiccating effect as lowering humidity. Keeping indoor air temperature higher than 74 °F (23.3 °C) also has an inhibiting effect on mold growth.

 

[Nugget]

You've really given me a lot to think about Richard. I knew the birds could handle freezing temps, but I hoped I could keep their water from freezing with the insulation. Created worse problems by trying to prevent minor ones I guess. Thanks for your help everyone, I'll let you know what we do, and how it works!

 

[MaransGuy]

Regarding the water freezing, get one of those heated bases, they work wonders! Even though it says not to use them with the plastic waterers - it is fine to do so. They do not get anywhere close to a temp that would melt them. Plus, some catalogs will even tell you it is okay. I have a 5 gallon plastic fount and the galvanized heated base and it is great. I hate dealing with frozen waterers myself and wish they made small versions for the smaller waterers that I use in my smaller cages.

Richard

 

[Nugget]

Okay then... a water heater is a great idea. We'll make some plans to swiss cheese the coop up a bit. In the mean time I'll find a little fan, turn on a 60 watt light, clean it out and make sure the hatch door is never closed. I have to say this is a surprise to me, but I believe it. I could probably put a window behind their perch (perpendicular to the existing one/across from the hatch) and a vent on the back wall. I'll have to look up what soffet vents and ridge vents are. Before we closed the walls up we took photos of the wiring so we would know where we can cut without ripping it apart. If better ventilation doesn't fix it, then I guess we'll have to take out the insulation. One step at a time I think.

Maybe even a screen door... raccoon proof of course. Something to sleep on.

Good night all
-Jen


It's raining again....
sigh.

 

[patandchickens]

Unless it *considerably* cooler inside your coop than outside for most of the 24-hr day, mold means insufficient ventilation, period, sorry. Chickens just do produce a vast amount of water vapor.

I would suggest that, whatever extra ventilation you're going to construct, double it. It is VASTLY VASTLY easier (as you are about to discover, alas

) to shut down some unneeded openings than it is to have to drag the sawzall out there and hack holes in your lovely coop walls. So especially since you know there is an issue, it would probably be smart to put in as much ventilation as you possibly can, while the sawzall is in use already

Good luck,

Pat

 

[skyfires]

I have to big doors and a window in my chicken house. I have a screen door on the outside. I leave all the doors and window open during the day. Clean out at least once a week. When I run into mold, I clean with mild bleach, then spray with apple cider vinegar. I have found vinegar cures all. I have a spray bottle hanging in my hen house right by the broom and dust pan. But in my book, nothing cleans like fresh air, so when I have that 'stuffy' feeling in there, I turn on a large fan I have mounted in front of the window. Hey, their house is better smelling than mine. Maybe I could start using scented candles in their house,,great idea,,,,,

 

[Nugget]

I appreciate hearing the continued responses. It's great to hear what everyone thinks. I've only had chickens a year so it's all still pretty new.

We cleaned the coop out today and I washed down the walls. My husband climbed a ladder to the vent fan and disassembled it. It was CAKED with dust and was not running near full capacity. It's been cleaned out. After washing everything I put a big floor fan in the doorway. The sun came out so it's thinking about drying out my yard (ie: mushroom farm... they're everywhere).

Last bag of food we got was pelletted. It was far less dusty than the mash. I hope they continue carrying it at our feed store.

The chickens are outside, the door, hatch and window are wide open and the fan is on. The more I think of it, the more I want to make a screen door. My original sketches had the main door a split door so the bottom could be closed and the top open. We can't do that now, but we could latch the wooden door open and make a mesh door that opens inward. We could use it during warm humid months and remove it in the fall...

ps, I love your idea of scented candles... picture the hens lounging in their dust baths, a damp cloth over their faces and some Junebug scented candle burning. That's how they could be more spoiled!

pss, Pat, I had to google Sawzall! Never heard them called that before

 

[MaransGuy]

Quote:
That was something I did not think to mention as well. I have a fan installed behind a vent with 1/8" screen and that screen needs to be brushed off every couple days. It is more due to the dust from the shavings and dander from the birds than anything else. The fans get so nasty that I never have them last more than a season. Now, I go to Walmart in the spring, get one of those round, steel cage type fans for about $10-12. They move a lot of air, run constantly all summer and then are typically disposed of in the fall by the time they gunk up too bad to clean anymore. It is a bit wasteful but my best option right now. Good luck with your modifications. It sounds like it will work out well and you and your birds will be a lot happier!

Richard

 

[LynneP]

Hi Nugget, I'm in NS too. It's been awful, we've had some spots where mold has sprung up in the barn where it has NEVER been before. There's a weather change coming this week but unfortunately it's so wet already the heat may make things worse for a while.

Is your fibreglass insulation protected by vapor barrier on the warm side? Pics of this in our home page, below.

Is there any place in the coop where you could temporarily place a dehumidifier, away from the birds?

You can spot-clean mold with a sponge and Javex to kill it, but this would have to be done while the birds are outside. Alternatively, check at your co-op or feed store for anti-fungal products safe around birds. I'm crossing my fingers because so far, the coop has been dry, and I'm scraping manure from the roosts and platforms at least twice a day to keep it from giving off moisture. Also check your waterer(s) to see they are not leaking. We had to rebuild the stand for our waterer to make it perfectly level.