hi there
so my chickens are now free ranging... nominally within the confines of a set (large) area which is fenced.
within this are are two things id like some expert feedback on the suitability of;
1 - woodpile. is a large and ramshackle woodpile left from felling a big conifer tree that was in the way of the expension. its been there over 2 years now (the pile) and has established colony of wildlife in it.
i moved a big log (was using some to make climby things for the chickens) and uncovered a toad yesterday... many many insects of course... and (area of most concern) a rat carcass or two.
our pest control guys have put bags of rat poison/bait in the pile which i assume has killed the ones i found. the bags are out of chickens reach.
how concerned should i be that there may be more rats in there? they are BAD for chickens , no?
i can 'tidy' the smaller-logs part of the pile and restack it... do you think thats a Good Idea? or total waste of time?
also: next to the woodpile is a great big pile of woodchips derived from the reducing of the willow tree which happened a month or two ago. i think that
A-rats may make homes in there too possibly
B-that spores from the rotting/moulding process may or may not be aBadThing for chooks. they dig about in it.
should i barrow the lot over to the compost area (we have several large composters i could fill).