Musty Wood Chips for Run?

[KappyFlock]

Yesterday my husband and I went down to the yard where the local utility dumps wood chips from tree trimming and removal. We loaded our trailer and brought home a pile of free wood chips, but I notice they have a musty smell. Will they air out or what? Is it ok to use these in the run? Not in the coop because we have pine shavings (from a bag) in there. But in the run.

Our chicks are a couple of weeks old and have been confined to the coop since we got them. They seem happy in there but we are finishing up the run and looking forward to getting them into it for a field trip. The run so far is just the bare ground (kind of clayish with sparse weeds), covered by a few-inch layer of loose yard dirt to raise the ground a bit for water drainage and so the chickens have something nice to dig into once they get through the top layer, which was supposed to be these wood chips.

My husband is anxious to put these chips in the run so he can enclose it with hardware cloth. I've put a halt to the process while I await your answer about whether these chips are suitable. Thank you in advance for your advice!

 

[nuthatched]

Just musty or moldy? Some trees smell funny when cut.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Musty, yes. They'll air out and sunshine will freshen them. Moldy NO. NO NO NO

 

[3KillerBs]

Just musty or moldy? Some trees smell funny when cut.

Yes, this.

Oak, in particular, STINKS when first cut.

If they're not moldy they should be fine, but use them in thin layers built up over time.

 

[KappyFlock]

@nuthatched , @BarnyardChaos , @3KillerBs Thank you for responding. I don't think it's moldy. If it were moldy I'd be the first to run in the other direction. Long story. Anyway, I just went out and took a whiff and a better description might be "earthy". There are some lacy leaf remnants and dirt and other organic debris in there, and I guess all of that is what I'm smelling.

My husband said he watches the wood chip situation at the utility yard and this stuff was dumped there maybe a week ago. So it hadn't been there too long before we took it.

Thank you for the suggestion of adding them in thin layers built up over time. That way they can air out a little, and that just seems better to me.

He's going to go ahead and use them but if anyone else sees this thread and has input, please feel free to share it. I'm not ready to stop learning just yet.

 

[3KillerBs]

Anyway, I just went out and took a whiff and a better description might be "earthy". There are some lacy leaf remnants and dirt and other organic debris in there, and I guess all of that is what I'm smelling.

That's excellent.

If they smell like a forest floor that's exactly right.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I agree with the others fresh cut wood smells like a musky and musty damp forest. I'm probably the outlier here because I absolutely love the smell of fresh cut wood, but then again I spent most of my childhood running barefoot through hundreds of acres of forest.

 

[KappyFlock]

That's excellent.

If they smell like a forest floor that's exactly right.

Oh! In that case, I'm glad I'm not a chicken or other forest creature. haha

 

[KappyFlock]

I agree with the others fresh cut wood smells like a musky and musty damp forest. I'm probably the outlier here because I absolutely love the smell of fresh cut wood, but then again I spent most of my childhood running barefoot through hundreds of acres of forest.

Thanks for helping me feel more comfortable and that sounds like a great way to spend a childhood. I was more of an open field person so I don't have that experience.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I agree with the others fresh cut wood smells like a musky and musty damp forest. I'm probably the outlier here because I absolutely love the smell of fresh cut wood, but then again I spent most of my childhood running barefoot through hundreds of acres of forest.

Reminds me of whenever my Dad drove by the cattle feed lots in Dodge City, Kansas - some of the largest and smelliest in the nation. He raised cattle on our farm several miles away. He'd inhale deeply, close his eyes for a moment, and say, "Mmmmm Money!" Always cracked me up, while holding my nose! <snort>