Odor Control for dirt run

[sillycmoy]

So I have had 5 chicks (8 weeks old now) outside in a 8 ft by 10 ft dirt run with the coop, and the last 2 days its been raining like crazy, and they are starting to smell. What can I use in the dirt run. They have the full 8 by 10 and can even go under the coop. I just got their fencing done for free ranging, so they are able to start going out during the day, but with all this rain it does have an odor. The coop doesn't smell, its the dirt run. I clean the coop out every week and replace with fresh new shavings. I did get some Oxine, but I need to learn how to mix it for cleaning, and I hope that will help. The coop isn't the problem, its the wet dirt in the run. I did try to rake it up to shovel up the poops, but that didn't work.

So what's the best thing to put down in the run to help with odor control. Thanks

 

[Judy]

I would try some pelletized lime first. You may want to put sides down and keep sand in the run as a long term wa of dealing with the area. Mostly the run needs to be well drained so it dries after a rain.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-fix-a-muddy-run-chicken-coop

 

[jak2002003]

So I have had 5 chicks (8 weeks old now) outside in a 8 ft by 10 ft dirt run with the coop, and the last 2 days its been raining like crazy, and they are starting to smell. What can I use in the dirt run. They have the full 8 by 10 and can even go under the coop. I just got their fencing done for free ranging, so they are able to start going out during the day, but with all this rain it does have an odor. The coop doesn't smell, its the dirt run. I clean the coop out every week and replace with fresh new shavings. I did get some Oxine, but I need to learn how to mix it for cleaning, and I hope that will help. The coop isn't the problem, its the wet dirt in the run. I did try to rake it up to shovel up the poops, but that didn't work.

So what's the best thing to put down in the run to help with odor control. Thanks

I don't know what to suggest........when it dried out the smell will go away.

I recommend you cover you run to keep the rain out........if it stays dry there will be very little smell.

 

[Alaskan]

Lime is really great.... It can turn a smelly outhouse into not so bad at all, so I am sure it would work well in a run.

 

[cywiar merch]

You have to be careful which lime you put down as some lime will burn chicken'sbfeet. Can't remember which on eit is though.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I was of the impression that wet lime could be caustic and may burn their feet. I have six 8-week old chicks in a small run and have it covered to keep out as much rain as possible. Even put sandbags around the base of the run to prevent water from running into the coop during a hard rain. It's stayed dry and they've beaten it down to bare earth. I'm going to add some pine shavings to give them something to scratch around in and to absorb their ever increasing and getting bigger by the day "output".

 

[sillycmoy]

I've heard not to use the lime. I was thinking of maybe throwing straw in there. I haven't had any problems till it got really wet. We had about 2 inches of rain in the last 2 days. Its under our deck, so I would have to tarp off that section of the deck. We were actually thinking of doing that just for the winter since we get tons and tons of snow. We usually don't get that much rain like that. And the last few times it did rain, it hardly got that wet in there. It doesn't smell much today since its drying out.

Thanks

 

[ozarkmomma]

If the straw gets wet, it will actually keep the ground wetter for a longer time. We threw straw in our run and it was wet and mushy for weeks. Ughh

 

[sillycmoy]

I wonder if I got sand if that would help it dry out faster, its drying out today, and it doesn't smell all that bad today, but I'm going to spray it all down with Oxine today or tomorrow, and I'm going to get some DE and try the deep litter method with the coop. The coop isn't the problem though, I clean that out every week with brand new shavings. So I'm going to try the deep litter method since I'm going through tons and tons of shavings.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I wonder if I got sand if that would help it dry out faster, its drying out today, and it doesn't smell all that bad today, but I'm going to spray it all down with Oxine today or tomorrow, and I'm going to get some DE and try the deep litter method with the coop. The coop isn't the problem though, I clean that out every week with brand new shavings. So I'm going to try the deep litter method since I'm going through tons and tons of shavings.

Might want to try using a fan to see if additional air circulation will help dry it out. I use deep litter mostly in the winter and love it but DE will work against the decomposition action needed for deep litter as it will kill all the microbes, critters, etc. that assist with decomposition.

I know there are differing opinions on DE but I'd reconsider using it if your intent is to do deep litter. Here's a post about using DE with deep litter that I recommend you read: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...year-with-deep-litter-method/20#post_10931808