Outside run question

Cluckingtime

Songster
May 23, 2022
431
941
206
Central Maine
Our coop is inside the shed with a door to go outside.. we are preparing to build the run this weekend.. against the shed wall was a good sized wood pile that had been there for many years. The dirt appears dark/rich with wood thst basically has deteriorated into the spil.. should I be concerned about mold from the wood or will it be fine? I don't see any standing mold but do not want to hurt my babies. 😬
 
against the shed wall was a good sized wood pile that had been there for many years.
Got pics?
I would remove the pile and see if it's done any damage to the shed siding....
....and to dislodge any vermin that might be living in there.
You could probably spread the pile out around the run for distraction and some 'bedding'.
 
What fabulous compost you could have there, depending if it is thick enough for you to rake it up. Even if you don't have a flower or veggie garden you probably have landscaping beds where it can be used. Or rake it into your lawn.

But to your question. Chickens love scratching in leaf mold and such. This could be in woodlands, under bushes, or in fence rows. They like to scratch in compost piles and some compost piles can have a bit of mold in them. If you use the deep litter method you probably have some mold in the litter. If the weather sets in wet for a while or you let the chicken poop build up enough to stay wet underneath mold often grows in it. Nature uses molds to help break down organic materials. Molds are everywhere in nature. I'm allergic to molds. My sinuses don't like it when I'm stirring things up in the chicken coop by raking or cleaning, when turning my compost pile or bagging compost, or working in the garden if I'm fooling with mulch.

Some molds can be dangerous. If your feed gets mold in it toss it. The mold itself isn't the big problem, it's more the digestive byproducts that build up as the mold breaks down the organic stuff in the feed. Most molds aren't dangerous, some can be beneficial. They are just part of nature.

I personally would not worry about possible mold in that at all. If it is thick enough and is damp enough they may find some nice treats in it. That's why they love scratching in leaf mold, they often find nice treats in it. But what's important is how you feel about it. If you are worried, remove it. Or rake it out to a thin layer so it can dry. Drying will get rid of the mold.
 
Mold doesn’t grow the same way outdoors like it does inside, I doubt anything bad there. I would just spread out the wood in the run to get it away from the structure and leave it for the chickens.

My run I added a few wheelbarrows of firewood, mainly to deter digging up against the fence - but the chickens seemed to enjoy them enough I’d find them dug out from them getting to the bugs and worms hiding underneath
 

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