Is Stinky Sludge Dangerous for Chickens?

[Krazy4Chicks]

Because of the awful heat in our area (So. California), I’ve been running misters a few hours a day to help keep the chickens cool. Unfortunately, I’ve just noticed that there is a layer of stinky charcoal looking sludge about 6” below the sand surface. My question is whether this is safe for my chickens. They are digging holes and scratching around in the wet sand, and they love to snack on the sand particles. So I’m just concerned whether it’s dangerous for them to ingest this stuff. Any thoughts?

 

[Kiki]

I wouldn't let my birds play in stinky sludge stuff.

I'd stop wetting the ground if I were you.

 

[Painted Calls]

I wouldn't let my birds play in stinky sludge stuff.

I'd stop wetting the ground if I were you.

Or add a better drainage layer.

 

[3KillerBs]

Because of the awful heat in our area (So. California), I’ve been running misters a few hours a day to help keep the chickens cool. Unfortunately, I’ve just noticed that there is a layer of stinky charcoal looking sludge about 6” below the sand surface. My question is whether this is safe for my chickens. They are digging holes and scratching around in the wet sand, and they love to snack on the sand particles. So I’m just concerned whether it’s dangerous for them to ingest this stuff. Any thoughts?

I have no suggestions for how to fix it, but I would suspect that the stinky sludge is rotten chicken poop dust that has filtered down through the sand.

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

I have no suggestions for how to fix it, but I would suspect that the stinky sludge is rotten chicken poop dust that has filtered down through the sand.

I feel like I just can’t win. This year has been insanely hot. I have had 2 hens (separate times) that have had heat exhaustion. It was touch and go with them, but they were able to pull through with a couple of days in a quarantine box in a cool bathroom. Once the temp goes over 90 degrees, they all are stressed out. That’s why my husband put in some misters so that they could get some relief, and they’ve been a lifesaver (literally). And the girls love digging around in the wet sand. But now that idea has created a whole new issue. So, to be safe, I plan to dig out the sludgy areas and put in fresh clean sand.

 

[Swbertrand1]

I feel like I just can’t win. This year has been insanely hot. I have had 2 hens (separate times) that have had heat exhaustion. It was touch and go with them, but they were able to pull through with a couple of days in a quarantine box in a cool bathroom. Once the temp goes over 90 degrees, they all are stressed out. That’s why my husband put in some misters so that they could get some relief, and they’ve been a lifesaver (literally). And the girls love digging around in the wet sand. But now that idea has created a whole new issue. So, to be safe, I plan to dig out the sludgy areas and put in fresh clean sand.

Do the misters cover the entire run? In addition to changing the sand layer, you might confine the misters to just a portion of the run (if they cover it all), reduce the hours they are used, or reduce the flow rate. Maybe add a fan behind the misters to distribute the mist further away too (be careful with electricity and water close to one another though - duh, right?).

We use a few misters in one portion of our run on super-hot days, but we've never let the ground get really saturated and nasty.

Good luck! S

 

[3KillerBs]

I feel like I just can’t win. This year has been insanely hot. I have had 2 hens (separate times) that have had heat exhaustion. It was touch and go with them, but they were able to pull through with a couple of days in a quarantine box in a cool bathroom. Once the temp goes over 90 degrees, they all are stressed out. That’s why my husband put in some misters so that they could get some relief, and they’ve been a lifesaver (literally). And the girls love digging around in the wet sand. But now that idea has created a whole new issue. So, to be safe, I plan to dig out the sludgy areas and put in fresh clean sand.

Maybe replace the sand in the mister area with wood chips, which would probably dry faster and which would compost with the poop while damp?

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

Do the misters cover the entire run? In addition to changing the sand layer, you might confine the misters to just a portion of the run (if they cover it all), reduce the hours they are used, or reduce the flow rate. Maybe add a fan behind the misters to distribute the mist further away too (be careful with electricity and water close to one another though - duh, right?).

We use a few misters in one portion of our run on super-hot days, but we've never let the ground get really saturated and nasty.

Good luck! S

The misters cover about half of the run, so I may put plugs in all but one or two. I have a fan inside their coop to help circulate air, and I keep that area good and dry. I also have frozen water bottles that I put into old socks and put one in each nesting box, which helps those that are broody or laying nice and cool. I’m doing everything I can to try and keep them cool and alive. One of our neighbors lost 11 hens on one of the 107 degree days. My girls aren’t just chickens to me - they’re pets.

 

[Swbertrand1]

The misters cover about half of the run, so I may put plugs in all but one or two. I have a fan inside their coop to help circulate air, and I keep that area good and dry. I also have frozen water bottles that I put into old socks and put one in each nesting box, which helps those that are broody or laying nice and cool. I’m doing everything I can to try and keep them cool and alive. One of our neighbors lost 11 hens on one of the 107 degree days. My girls aren’t just chickens to me - they’re pets.

I hear you. Ours are family too. It sounds like you're doing all you can - I'd just watch that mister and how saturated in makes the ground. Maybe try misting heads that create a finer spray pattern? If you can put fans in their run during the day, that could help too.

FWIW, we've brought birds into the house (into the A/C) when we feel like they might be really overheated. If that's an option, do it. They will appreciate the break from the heat.

We've even considered a window A/C unit in our coop because it's in direct North Carolina sun most of the day - haven't had to go that route yet, but it's an option.

One last thing: if you have a garage that you could cordon off a section for them, that might be an option with a window A/C unit. I'm not wise enough to know what 115 degree heat feels like on a sustained basis, but it MUST be miserable, and I'm sure the chickens are not dealing with it well... :-(

 

[3KillerBs]

I would be VERY leery of exposing an air conditioner to the extreme amounts of dust from the bedding and the feather dander. Such things are a severe fire hazard for anything electric that isn't specifically-rated for outdoor and barn use.

My experience in the NC Sandhills is that chickens acclimate to the heat just like people do. Sudden heat exposure to non-acclimated chickens is going to be more dangerous at the same temperature and humidity level than a slow build-up over time. IMO, the use of AC can cause problems by causing animals to not acclimate properly.

I am unlikely to experience heat over 100F on a sustained basis, but I'm watching my flock at the routine mid-90's and if I find that I'm having significant problems with my current choices of breeds I'm prepared to add more Mediterranean blood.