Chicken coop smelling.

[cheer10]

I have a problem and my chicken coop(the house) smells. Is there a way I can make it NOT smell?

 

[Battlepants]

Regular cleaning, adding extra litter to absorb the smell/moisture, making sure there is good ventilation.

Note - you won't be able to STOP the smell, just reduce it. Chickens are poop machines and will produce a good deal of smell near constantly. All you can really do is try to mitigate it.

 

[cheer10]

Regular cleaning, adding extra litter to absorb the smell/moisture, making sure there is good ventilation.

Note - you won't be able to STOP the smell, just reduce it. Chickens are poop machines and will produce a good deal of smell near constantly. All you can really do is try to mitigate it.

I do clean it once a day.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

What do you use as flooring, and "how" does it smell. Like amonia? like rot? like cecals? What do you feed your birds?

Location would help too, so we get some idea of climate.

Also, raised coop or does it sit on the ground?

 

[MadGardener]

Increasing ventilation may help move air and reduce moisture. Can you post pics of your coop?

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Regular cleaning and opening all the door weekly/ daily to let it air out.

 

[3KillerBs]

If you're cleaning daily and have an odor problem you've got something way off in your system.

Can you give us photos and measurements for your coop and tell us what sort of bedding you're using and how many chickens you have?

Also, where, in general, are you? Climate matters, especially with housing.

The most common issues with odor problems are:

#1. Too many chickens for the size of the coop and/or the volume of the bedding. If you, knowing no better because you're new to chickens, bought a prefab coop and believed what the manufacturer said about how many chickens would fit then chances are you have twice as many chickens in it as there should be.

The manufacturers often make those claims based on legal minimums for commercial chickens rather than sound practices for backyarders.

#2. Bad ventilation -- both too little and poorly-placed. Heat and ammonia both rise so a coop without top-level venting will trap stale, stinky air.

#3. Moisture -- which is often a consequence of #1 and/or #2. Chickens generate a lot of moisture from their breath and their poop. If the bedding and ventilation don't dry it out quickly so that it turns inert then the poop starts to rot and draws flies.

Sometimes moisture problems are a weather problem, which is hard to deal with. Sometimes it's because the birds are dumping their water into the bedding. Sometimes there are other, unusual issues.

 

[aart]

Can you give us photos and measurements for your coop and tell us what sort of bedding you're using and how many chickens you have?

Ditto Dat!

Also, where, in general, are you? Climate matters, especially with housing.

Welcome to BYC @cheer10 !
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

 

[Sally PB]

Pictures of your coop, inside and out, will help us help you. Also, the dimensions of the coop and how many chickens you have.

Pictures of your chickens a welcome too.