Using CEDAR WOOD CHIPS in the run

I must admit, I didn't know about the dangers of mold last year when I laid fresh chips (late winter-early spring). They were 3-4" deep with lots of rain, then sunshine. Those chips dried out fast. I also had young birds that survived and are thriving currently. Was I super lucky? Or is everyone else just paranoid... like I am now? I think it's contagious.
Could be, it's easy to overreact...and then spread the fear out of context...
....and Yes, it is.

Like I said......
Not a common occurrence but best to let fresh wet chippings age a bit.....storing them long term does not present the same risks.
Not all molds and fungi are toxic, most occur naturally and are only toxic in intense concentrations(like TerryH's story).
 
Who wants to store a pile for 6 months when there's certain to be mold present in there anyway? Longer than 6 months, even a year, wouldn't they start to break down and their usefulness start to dissipate?

So I'm wondering if it would actually be better to spread the chips in the fall or over winter. Even though they would get wet, they would continue to age and they also wouldn't be able to generate the heat necessary to promote mold. Yes or no?

I must admit, I didn't know about the dangers of mold last year when I laid fresh chips (late winter-early spring). They were 3-4" deep with lots of rain, then sunshine. Those chips dried out fast. I also had young birds that survived and are thriving currently. Was I super lucky?

I think you're over thinking it a little. My chip pile is going on 2 years now. They're still good solid chips and I think I have enough to last me another 2 years. I just put some in my coop about 2 weeks ago. I'm sure there's some mold in there (plus I have a crown of horsetails growing at the top!) but I always take chips off the surface, so the layers underneath get to air out before they're used.

As far as storage everyone around here simply "stores" them in open piles somewhere in the yard. There's no issues with piles heating up - during the last big round of snowstorms, my chip pile was one of the very last areas to melt off. Since it's strictly wood chips with nothing else mixed in it doesn't heat up as it's not actively breaking down like a compost pile would.

As far as timing of when to add chips, I clean out my coop twice a year, during early fall and spring. My reasoning for this is the fall cleanout gets the coop ready for winter, when frankly no one wants to be outside longer than they need to (plus good luck trying to get the wheelbarrow out to the chip pile and shoveling frozen chips). And spring cleanout is because that's 6 months after, plus it gets rid of any muck that got tracked in through winter and the early wetter parts of spring. Chips from coop go directly into the run (I no longer add chips straight to the run, as there's no longer any mud issue).

I did have to start using my chips a bit on the "fresh" side as my run was so muddy when I first started this process, so I only waited about 3 months before throwing the first batch of chips into the run - obviously my birds weren't harmed. The aspergillus issue is probably not a common one but because it can happen, that's why I suggest aging chips before use if possible.
 
Thanks @rosemarythyme and @aart for being the voice of reason.
whew-1.gif
 
It is the cedar dust and fumes that are toxic, so small animals, close to the ground, think baby chicks and hamsters are inhaling lots of dust whenever they walk through their bedding. These animals are also at a disadvantage because due to their small size it takes much less of any type of toxin to cause them harm. Additionally, birds are more sensitive to toxic fumes in general than some other types of animals. This is also why furniture and closets are often constructed of cedar, to kill moths and bugs that might get in and damage things. Outdoors, with an animal higher off the ground, I personally don't believe it's too much a concern.
 

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