smelly coop run - what to do?

[McGoo]

I've been cleaning up an extra pen where my little hatchling will be staying... momma's are sitting on eggs about to hatch later this week.
Am I the only one who gets this foul odor... I think it's a combo of rotting old feed, pine shavings from last year, and moisture. I dug down and shovelled it up, then added some sand and diotomeous earth. One area continues to smell. Any suggestions?

ps rain is predicted for the next week and a half -

 

[chicmom]

That smell of rotten food is just awful.

I used to keep my feeder out in the chicken run, but now it's inside the coop because the hens would spill food out of their hanging feeder and then it would get stinky on the ground.....Like you, I had to shovel it out....I can't stand super gross smell.....I gag.....

Anyhow, is your stinky area inside the coop or in the run? Maybe you could pour some bleach onto it, or, if it's in the run, scoop another layer of dirt or sand out of there.......

Good luck!

 

[artsyrobin]

nasty smelling stuff, especially with the rain- i use stall-dry and it helps alot, i am thinking lime would work too- but not sure on how it would affect the chickens

 

[patandchickens]

Yeah, NUTHIN' stinks like old rotting feed, not even roadkill is as bad.

Stall powder of whatever kind you can easiest get locally (sweet pdz, stall-dri, stable boy, whatever) IN QUANTITY

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[carrlr]

I use diatomaceous earth (DE) food grade quality purchased at a local farm store. It's a drying agent. I use it with pine shavings in the deep liter method. Keeps things nice and dry and therefore seems to control the smell real well. I guess some use it as a flea and tick remover/killer.

 

[chicmom]

Quote:
Pat, I'm going to steal your suggestion. hehe Thank you!

 

[McGoo]

Thanks for the advice. I've been using DE, but I'll take a drive to the feed store and get some stall-dry too. I've already starting hearing peeps! so they'll be romping around within a day or so.