smell? - Page 2

What are you feeding your chickens?

Check out this thread from the Meat Birds section of the forums:

 

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/644300/fermenting-feed-for-meat-birds

 

Apple cider vinegar with the "Mother" in it, available from health food stores and/or Whole Foods.  I've used a tablespoon or two of ACV in the chick's waterers and yes, the 'smell' did go down dramatically.  Haven't got as far as to ferment feed with ACV though.

 

Chicks were Freedom Rangers, meat birds, as well as my layer flock of Black Javas - it makes a noticeable difference for all birds.  The oppressive heat/humidity doesn't help though.  If the heat lessens, so does the stink factor?  Go figure! 

 

As for 'fragrant' plants - why not something like shrub roses (trimmed) or a fragrant vine up the side of the run?  Might help! 

We also live in a suburb with close neighbors, but we are in Louisiana so....everything smells. However, we also have a doggy 'clean up crew' so maybe all will be well. 

 

I know people have been recommending that 'Sweet PDZ' stuff for coops, but I doubt that's something you'd want all over your yard, haha.

I ferment my scratch feed, cracked corn, oats and barley, besides the fact they love it, it contains more probiotics and is readily digestable, and cuts down on the 'end' products of waste. I have to say my chickens are looking very healthy. Read the thread it explains it better, but alot have noticed a big decrease in smell from poop in birds that are usually very smelly. Sure the heat and moisture makes poop smell worse, but even on a good day there's probably odor, why not nip it in the bud, and improve the health of your flock too....it's not that hard to do...I'm sure people on the thread would be happy to answer questions too. Good luck, your neighbors would appreciate it too!:-)

What does your chicken's poop look like? Have you wormed them recently? I am inclined to think there is an imbalance in diet. You might try them on pure layer pellets for a few weeks, and a probiotic such as plain yogurt. Chickens can't eat to much grass.
 

ff is probiotic

Have you tried tossing some sweet PDZ around? It's horse stall re-freshener and you can get it Tractor supply or a farm store. Is there anyway you could put down some kind of mulch to soak up the poop?

I was thinking along the same lines, of adding ACV and maybe some high probiotic yogurt to their diet.   Also, when we first got our chickens, we were using a different brand of feed, and their poops were much wetter, and smelled so much worse.  I switched feed, and they are now having more firm poops and the smell decreased tremendously.  I feed our dogs a raw diet, and they have tiny little poops with little odor, because they use almost all of what they eat with little waste.  I think the higher quality feed you give them, the less stink you will have. 
 

 

What you are smelling are the products that result from the ammonia in the fecal material coupled with the decoposition of the fecal material itself. For the yard I increased my watering routine and water at night wheh they are in the run.

 

In the run I added a 3 inch layer of woodshavings. The pullets turn this material constantly and it as eliminated all odors.

 

 

The shavings need to remain dry....if the shavings get wet then you will have the return of the very strong odor. In the fall I will pile leaf litter in the run to create a compost....The compost will have a rich earthy odor, even when wet.

 

My worst Odor Generators are these 2 right here:

 

Edited by Rock Home Isle - 7/3/12 at 10:34am