Question concerning manure

[gingersnaptoo]

For a few years, every spring when I got new chicks, I kept the young pullets in a rabbit hutch on a porch in a fenced-in yard until they were old enough to go to the hen house. They were only there for a month or so. Fast forward 3 years, and I now have a litter of 4 week old puppies that need some freedom. I was wondering if I could set up a kennel on the same area. There is still manure under about 5 inches of dirt that has blown into that area of the porch. No sunlight hits it, so no uv rays to kill bacteria. Somewhere under it is a cement slab. As you can tell, this porch is totally functional, not a family area. Is there anything harmful in that manure, such as salmonella, or has it decomposed enough by now?

 

[GodLovesU]

I would just be worried the puppies would dig and roll in it.

 

[Yardmom]

I am not an expert on the subject, but I personally would not consider this risky. Chances of your healthy chicks having diseased poop is slim. Then it has aged and now it's covered.

My dog has much, much closer contact with chicken poop than that.

 

[gingersnaptoo]

Thanks for the help. You are right... there is probably more risk from the current chickens that are 50 yards away, the other cats' and dogs' manure, and all the wild bird stuff in the area. Made me feel better about it though, just hearing from you all! Thanks again!