Dirt Run

[Prieto1399]

Hello! Does anyone have a fully-dirt run? I don't mind raking it every day, and I don't necessarily have the resources right now to start a deep litter method. It's a 10x10 run, stays relatively dry unless we get a big rainstorm, and we only have 4 chickens. What can I put on top to help it not smell?

I've heard essential oil sprays or dry herbs could help when I rake it in the mornings?

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

Hello! Does anyone have a fully-dirt run? I don't mind raking it every day, and I don't necessarily have the resources right now to start a deep litter method. It's a 10x10 run, stays relatively dry unless we get a big rainstorm, and we only have 4 chickens. What can I put on top to help it not smell?

I've heard essential oil sprays or dry herbs could help when I rake it in the mornings?

I HAD a grass run then it bacame
a dirt run and then I laid 8 of the sakrite 50lb multipurpose sand bags and then a brand I forgot of chicken-tortoise-snake safe bag of Cyprus mulch the size of 50lbs of dog food bags. I mix it up and occasionally rake but most just turns into compost.

 

[Azhtann]

I use compressed bedding for horse stalls as well as Sweet Pedez (I think that's what it's called) to cut down on smell, as well as lime.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I use compressed bedding for horse stalls as well as Sweet Pedez (I think that's what it's called) to cut down on smell, as well as lime.

I use that for my hedgehogs litter box but my chickens would probably eat it

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I use compressed bedding for horse stalls as well as Sweet Pedez (I think that's what it's called) to cut down on smell, as well as lime.

It looks like their pelletized feed

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I use compressed bedding for horse stalls as well as Sweet Pedez (I think that's what it's called) to cut down on smell, as well as lime.

What breed is the rooster in your pfp he looks like he’s red white and blue

 

[Azhtann]

What breed is the rooster in your pfp he looks like he’s red white and blue

The pelleted bedding is not delicious to chicken tastes. It also breaks down into sawdust, so if ingested, is no big deal. Mine picked at it at first, now they leave it alone.

The rooster was a phoenix.

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

Our run is essentially dirt, with a gathering of leaf, pine, mulch, sand, peat moss, all over a year. When we're able to get stuff we added it and then we rake it around every now and then.

In the coop-where they roost/sleep we have a mix of pine pellets and stall fresh

 

[Sally PB]

My chicken run was grass, but that was gone in a few days. It's essentially dirt.

I add wood chips, leaves, and garden weeds. When I clean out the coop, I dump the pine shavings into the run. When I go into the run, I shove dirt over any fresh poops, more so that I don't get the on the bottom of my shoes than any other reason.

I use Sweet PDZ on poop boards under the roosts. I scoop the poop into a bucket every morning (takes about 2 minutes) and dump it on my compost pile.

Unless one of the chickens has just dropped a fresh cecal poop, the run does not smell. Unless there's a fresh cecal poop on the poop board or I have the poop bucket open, the coop does not smell either.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I've heard essential oil sprays or dry herbs could help when I rake it in the mornings?

Odor comes from a combination of poop, moisture, lack of carbon (for composting) and lack of aeration. Masking it is only a band-aid and won't fix anything.

As a short term solution I'd stop raking it and remove poop instead, just to eliminate that from the equation. Raking it in is only contributing to the issue if you don't add other elements to break it down.

Better off spending your money on addressing any drainage issues, roofing the run (if it's not already roofed) and yes, looking into deep litter if appropriate for your climate (or sand may be a better choice in arid climates, if you're willing to sift poop daily). I don't see how a few bags of pine nuggets or asking neighbors for bags of dried fall leaves is more expensive than sprays and herbs and other very temporary measures.