Ammonia issue in the coop

[GooseBee]

Can you post any photos of your coop, especially along the top of it?

The way to control ammonia/ improve ventilation is to have lots of openings up at the top, where the ammonia rises, so that it can escape.

As an example, a recent post mentioned that the walls on all four sides of their coop ended 6” from the top (gaps covered with hardware cloth). No openings lower down allowed drafts to blow on the birds; everything was high over their heads.

That’s the level of ventilation needed, not two or three dinky holes drilled in the sides, as pre-fabs often have.

Yes I can post pictures sorry and oh.

 

[GooseBee]

Without seeing photos or a very detailed description of your coop it's hard to give specific advice. Lack of ventilation is probably your top issue but cleaning out once every 3 months only works for some set ups (usually that's reserved for larger coops with higher litter volume and air volume). If you have a small coop or are using sand, you must clean out more frequently, maybe daily in some cases.

Sorry, I knew I was forgetting something in my post. I decide I not going to use sand. I am trying something different. I am going to start cleaning every week my coop.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yes I can post pictures sorry and oh.

Is this the coop or the run (or is it one in the same)? If this is an open air coop I'm surprised you'd have ammonia issues as it's ventilated all over. In that case then more frequent clean outs (or a lot more organic litter volume) should go a long way in addressing the problem.

 

[GooseBee]

Is this the coop or the run (or is it one and the same)? If this is an open air coop I'm surprised you'd have ammonia issues as it's ventilated all over. In that case then more frequent clean outs (or a lot more organic litter volume) should go a long way in addressing the problem.

Is there coop. Ok, I will frequent cleaning more often and or try deep litter methods maybe.

 

[GooseBee]

I figured out the ammonia issues. I put down horse pellets bedding then shavings. Finally done

 

[LinMicMend]

I would just clean everything out, put down the horse bedding pellets, and be done with it. With the limited ventilation and high humidity we have here, they handle both. Sand, like you said, gets wet, and it sits there until it dries.

We put down about 2-3" of pellets and change them out when around 80% of them turn to dustless sawdust. In one coop, it's once a year. We use them in our brooders too. Zero odors.

We use DIY 5-gallon nipple buckets in the coops, so no open water, and vertical nipple bottles in the brooders. The only birds around here not on nipples are the ducks.

I'd get your birds some vitamins, like Poultry Cell or Nutra-Drench. Many times they can get over minor respiratory infections themselves, but a vitamin boost helps them.

Agreed that frequent cleaning is absolutely necessary. I also put freeze dried garlic powder - the equivalent of 1 clove per gallon of water along with a balanced blend of dried oregano, thyme, peppermint and marjoram herbs in their waterers. The garlic helps to lessen ammonia in their droppings and it, along with the other herbs help to boost their immune systems, particularly respiratory health. As an added note, thyme will also help to minimize algae growth in waterers in the warmer summer months. Of course keeping these clean too are critical. Hope this helps.

 

[Debbie292d]

The garlic helps to lessen ammonia in their droppings and it, along with the other herbs help to boost their immune systems, particularly respiratory health.

This piqued my interest, as I've heard many benefits of adding a small amount of garlic to chicken feed, but hadn't heard this one.

Horse bedding pellets absorb and dry out urates before they can turn into ammonia, so I don't need to do anything else. That said, I did some research on garlic.

Overdoing it with garlic can be toxic to them, but I think if someone's eggs start tasting like garlic, that may be a sign they're giving a little too much.

Garlic is a potent natural prebiotic that supports gut health and may reduce ammonia/odors.

But what surprised me even more were the studies on giving chickens garlic for other purposes. It is a cure for nothing; it does not kill worms/parasites/mites, but it may reduce the worm load. For mites, it only works topically if made into a spray. For worms, again, it may reduce the quantity. A dewormer is necessary to kill worms.

But according to studies published in Poultry DVM, adding garlic to the diet of chickens may help prevent ascites syndrome. Again, not a cure, but may help prevent ascites. I've never had a chicken with ascites, but if I was seeing a pattern of it, I'd surely start feeding the appropriate amount of garlic to my chickens!

As for slime/algae in their water receptacles, we add 1/2 teaspoon of RV water freshener to our 5-gallon nipple buckets, or a few drops to the smaller ones. We had issues, but that works.

 

[LinMicMend]

Since I also want what's best for my feathered kids, I am looking into this too and found the bedding you are referencing. Local feed stores don't always carry what can be found in larger cities.
As for the garlic, I don't overdo it. Too much of a good thing, isn't. And no my eggs don't taste like garlic, but years ago, I knew of cows that have eaten wild onions and it affected their milk...sour cream and chives anyone?
I've also done some research and know there are natural alternatives to deworming chickens such as wormwood and black walnut powders. Again, precise measurements, ratios and correct application is a must for optimum results, just like the fenbendazole I have used before. Mother Nature's medicines have been in use long before chemical medications. Each has it's place but preventative, natural options are usually much better than chemical medications.
As for using the RV water freshener, I refuse to put a form of bleach in my chickens' water. I'll stick with thyme.