Have you ever smelled your chickens?

[woodmort]

I think this is one of those things we all know about but never discuss with nonchicken people lest they are really convinced we're nuts.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

All the time...I love the way they smell!!

 

[Tala]

Chickens smell fine unless they are wet. I always bury my nose on the backs of their necks when I carry them (the sweeter hens that is, not my half-tame roos)
Wet feathers is a smell that I could live without, though it's definitely not "untolerable" - I've smelled people who stank much worse.

 

[gvntofly05]

I'm just glad I'm not the only one!

 

[GraceAK]

They do smell really nice and.... natural, I guess

 

[Flewthecoop42]

Excellent point to make, I haven't had chickens that long but this was a concern that I had in the beginning. After making it through the summer with my new flock which we enjoy a great deal there is really very little odor, and the odor we do have really isn't repulsive at all. Compared to my old dog kennel that housed my beloved beagles for many years, I'll take the chicken odor any day.

 

[cindy99]

I smell our chickens.

When Bluebell got sick I said to my husband "yes, I am sure that she is sick - she doesn't smell right" he looked at me like I was crazy. LOL She is better now and back to normal chicken smell.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I'm not a chicken "smeller" as you guys are but I do know that when the chickens have mites, you can tell by the smell in the pen. Also, I've been trying a new method of constantly adding pine shavings to the bottom of the pen. This helps too. But the best cleanest hens, is the ones who get PLENTY of dirt baths.

Dave

 

[Rockin' Reds]

Oh thank GAWD!!! I'm not the only one!! I LOVE the way my chickens smell!! Granted, I have only been on this little chicken adventure of mine for a few months now, but I have not had any problems with even my coop smelling. I will confess however that I am a "Harriet Homemaker" when it comes to my coop. I only have 11 birds and a small coop so when I open it up in the morning I do scoop the poo up off of the pine shavings (thank you DH for the cat litter scoop idea!!) every morning as there are only about 6 or so little piles. It takes me all of about 10 minutes to get the coop opened up and cleaned and the food and water set out for the day. I was initially terrified as my neighbor has chickens and I have seen her go in to clean her coop in some type of hazmat suit and mask. That actually stopped me from getting them sooner. Go figure!!

Anyway, thanks for this thread because I'm sure I won't be saying this around my regular peeps who already think I'm stone cold insane.

 

[ZombieChickens]

I don't smell them, but one of the neighbor girls says they smell like Peanut butter. She is very insistent.