Advice for Chicken Run Smell

[Prieto1399]

Hello! First time chicken owner, and I need some advice on the chicken run, particularly the smell. We have a small coop with four chickens, and a 10x10 chicken run for them. They've dug it all down to dirt, and I rake it every Saturday, as well as completely clean their coop and put fresh bedding.

I live in town, and I have neighbors right next door, so I want to keep the coop and run as smell-free as possible, so as to not upset them, and so that our own backyard doesn't smell horrible. I did plant some lavender and coneflowers around the run, but they're still small this year. Next year they'll be larger and hopefully off-set the smell. I plan on having the run completely surrounded by chicken-friendly flowers, as well as the backyard in general.

Our run is just a dirt floor. We tried straw and wood shavings, but it just smelled worse, and the fly population has grown very large, which I know isn't great for the chickens.

What can I do to keep on top of this, and reduce both the smell and the flies? Thank you!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

A good coating of barn lime can help cut smell and flies in the short term. Is it covered, or open to the sky? A wet run is managed differently than a dry run.

We do deep litter here. I've also done sand, and gravel. It all depends on the situation. It may help to share some photos so others can see what you have.

 

[Prieto1399]

A good coating of barn lime can help cut smell and flies in the short term. Is it covered, or open to the sky? A wet run is managed differently than a dry run.

We do deep litter here. I've also done sand, and gravel. It all depends on the situation. It may help to share some photos so others can see what you have.

It's pretty open. Half of it has a tarp over the top, but the other half is just open to the sky.

 

[Logar]

I would recommend putting something like wood chips or something similar down. I use pine bark chunks and that has really helped with the smell from my run (60 sqf for 6 chickens due to local laws).

This is what I have been using. Just know that there is nothing mini about them. I don’t think it is a bad thing at all for chickens but that is why so many reviews are 1 star. I will put something pictures I took of the larger pieces. https://www.homedepot.com/p/2-cu-ft-Mini-Pine-Bark-Nuggets-52058083/10034887

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's pretty open. Half of it has a tarp over the top, but the other half is just open to the sky.

Sounds like our turkey run. It's ending up a mix of gravel, and grass clippings, and fall leaves. Somewhere between a deep litter, and a firm base.

I'd probably just start adding organic matter to the run. Shavings are okay but they don't break down well. We did do spent mulch. Mulch removed from other beds, and that worked well for that year. You want things the chickens will scratch through so they work their manure into the substrate. No manure, no flies, generally. Things like grass clippings, fallen leaves, pulled weeds, and the dirt attached to them, some straw, hay mulch. Just keep adding as needed, and remove some for the garden if it becomes too much, but generally it all just disappears and feeds the worms.

If you prefer to clean than a gravel base that can be raked up can work too. Just depends on what type of maintenance you wish to do.

 

[Prieto1399]

Sounds like our turkey run. It's ending up a mix of gravel, and grass clippings, and fall leaves. Somewhere between a deep litter, and a firm base.

I'd probably just start adding organic matter to the run. Shavings are okay but they don't break down well. We did do spent mulch. Mulch removed from other beds, and that worked well for that year. You want things the chickens will scratch through so they work their manure into the substrate. No manure, no flies, generally. Things like grass clippings, fallen leaves, pulled weeds, and the dirt attached to them, some straw, hay mulch. Just keep adding as needed, and remove some for the garden if it becomes too much, but generally it all just disappears and feeds the worms.

If you prefer to clean than a gravel base that can be raked up can work too. Just depends on what type of maintenance you wish to do.

I don't mind cleaning. We don't get a ton of organic matter in our yard, only grass clippings, as we don't have any trees besides a small one out front. Anything I can do to keep costs of buying things to a minimum would be great.

How often would you rake it? Every day? Every other? Could you put anything on top of a gravel base like barn lime to help?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I don't mind cleaning. We don't get a ton of organic matter in our yard, only grass clippings, as we don't have any trees besides a small one out front. Anything I can do to keep costs of buying things to a minimum would be great.

How often would you rake it? Every day? Every other? Could you put anything on top of a gravel base like barn lime to help?

It is easier to lime a firm base as a damp one can soak it in. Barn Lime is used mostly to dry things out which removes the smell. It works best on concrete or other firm surfaces.

The gravel run here gets raked a few times year, and dropping picked up and composted. We don't have to worry about the smell so much here as we are rural.

We do have a lot of suburban keepers who may be more helpful with their experiences.

 

[aart]

More info here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/dirt-run.1639064/

 

[StinkyAcres]

Where in general are you located? There are websites where you can sign up to get free wood chips from tree trimmers. ChipDrop is one of them: https://getchipdrop.com/

 

[RobochickofLubbock]

Hello! First time chicken owner, and I need some advice on the chicken run, particularly the smell. We have a small coop with four chickens, and a 10x10 chicken run for them. They've dug it all down to dirt, and I rake it every Saturday, as well as completely clean their coop and put fresh bedding.

I live in town, and I have neighbors right next door, so I want to keep the coop and run as smell-free as possible, so as to not upset them, and so that our own backyard doesn't smell horrible. I did plant some lavender and coneflowers around the run, but they're still small this year. Next year they'll be larger and hopefully off-set the smell. I plan on having the run completely surrounded by chicken-friendly flowers, as well as the backyard in general.

Our run is just a dirt floor. We tried straw and wood shavings, but it just smelled worse, and the fly population has grown very large, which I know isn't great for the chickens.

What can I do to keep on top of this, and reduce both the smell and the flies? Thank you!

Try using vanilla and water with animal insect spray in large spray bottle. Vanilla helps keep flies and flying insects away. And smells good in the coop.