Thoughts on pressure treated wood

[joel david]

I'm planning my coop/run. My location I've chosen is not level and I get flood irrigation. My plan, so far, is to level the area with "footing" made of retaining wall blocks. I was then going to frame the base of the run and coop on that and my initial thought was to use pressure treated 4x4s. I'm now wondering if I actually need P.T. as there won't be any wood to earth contact. My other concern is the toxicity of P.T. wood, I know I wouldn't use it in my garden but won't it leach into the run when it gets wet from rain or what ever and wouldn't it be bad for my chickens?

Thanks,
Joel

 

[Baymen Moe]

I think lot's of us here use PT for run construction, including me. The PT today is different than the PT of old, although I wouldn't want my birds chowing it down (not that they would). As far as leaching into the run, I think the chickens would have to ingest a lot of whatever run material you use to be affected. If you plan on organic eggs, I believe PT is out of the question. I wouldn't worry if you use it. Lot's of schools of thought on this issue though.

 

[teach1rusl]

All of my run is built with pt lumber...no issues with my little flock.

Just wanted to clarify though...so you're elevating the coop AND the run, because it's in a low area that floods easily??

 

[Chicken Fruit]

isnt 2010 is the last year that any lumber company can use arsenic in their pressure treated cocktail? Most have already phased it out in the big box stores, i think it started in 03. Check the price tag, or whatever tag is stapled to the bottom of the board. As long as it is not PT CCA or ACZA you're good to go. Especially anything reading "Quat" thats the best alternative.

So many kids were coming up with arsenic poisoning from play grounds and porches and decks that they had to come up with a "non-toxic" treatment for wood. I dont know if is country and industry wide, but I was reading up on it when we built our fence a few years ago which was near our well head and we have very small children.

We always put pressure treated, even if its CCA, on the ground contact portions of our animal runs and coops. Never had an issue with anything thus far... I mean, nothing is dropping dead. Its not like we have our animals or eggs checked for arsenic though. lol.

 

[sianara]

Quote:
Ditto to everything

 

[joel david]

Quote:
The area is irrigated although it is one of the higher spots in the yard so i was going to trench and put blocks in kind of like this both to level the area and so the wood won't be getting soaked every other week. I know that that won't keep the run dry, although I think it will go a long way towards keeping it dry, but the area doesn't get that much water and it dries out fast. It only gets water from April-October and the chooks will probably like the water to play in during the summer anyway. I'm kinda wondering though if I should just go with pt right on the ground or if I do the block if I really need 4x4 lumber and if it needs to be pt.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
The area is irrigated although it is one of the higher spots in the yard so i was going to trench and put blocks in kind of like this both to level the area and so the wood won't be getting soaked every other week. I know that that won't keep the run dry, although I think it will go a long way towards keeping it dry, but the area doesn't get that much water and it dries out fast. It only gets water from April-October and the chooks will probably like the water to play in during the summer anyway. I'm kinda wondering though if I should just go with pt right on the ground or if I do the block if I really need 4x4 lumber and if it needs to be pt.

If your area drains well and dries out fast, I wouldn't worry about putting it on block unless you just like the look (the link coop looked good!). I used treated landscape timbers for my corner posts....much cheaper than 4 x 4s. You might consider that. Take a look at my byc page...it's solid w/the landscape timbers.

 

[dieselgrl48]

Well I am not a fan of PT wood anymore. My hubby was building our deck a couple of years ago with it.All of a sudden he got sick.He developed hives, itching his feet got so swollen at work he took his boots off and couldnt get them back on.He was rushed to hospital.His doc said his white count was so high and his lungs had started swelling and if he had waited another day he probably would have died.Some chemical musta gotten in his lungs from the saw dust so... .Now if we use any lumber and it isnt treated If needed We just put some watercoat or stain on it.

 

[sianara]

Quote:
That's pretty scary. Glad he survived. Whenever I cut the PT wood (or any wood for that matter), I have a face mask on (the good one that painters use not the little white ones) and I ALSO cut it outside.

If for some odd reason (like rain for instance

) I have to cut in the basement I have 3 fans blowing at me directed to the open bulk head door, and a face mask and goggles on.

 

[joel david]

This is the location. It's hard to see the pink string but the 12x6 foot print is staked out. If you look hard you can see that the back left corner is almost 6" higher than right front corner so i don't really think I can just let it set on the ground (then again maybe I could). If I do corner posts set in concrete I guess I can square and level the structure above ground level and bury the hardware cloth.