Doing The Funky Chicken

[cimarron]

Good evening BYC, we have a question about chicken funk! Our ourdoor run has gotten funky this spring. Last year was a record drought and there never was an odor problem. But now, especially when it rains, it smells real bad. The covered side of the run stays dry, and has a deep litter of hay, and doesn't seem to smell. But the uncovered side is dirt and rocks and when it gets wet, it stanks!!!

Any advice for what we should try on the uncovered side? Till it so it's not so packed down? a layer of Gravel? Rough Hardwood Mulch? Hay? We can get the mulch practically for free.

Thanks!

 

[backdoorchicken]

sand is your friend

 

[Bantimna]

Sand will help. Why not cover the whole run, is another option.

 

[ksct]

Sand is great! that's what we did! AND we changed our food from the Dumor at TSC and feed them Purina now. I can't say for certain that the food switch it for sure what did it. But we're happy we switched. We just put the remaining sand we had in the run last night. they LOVE IT!

not only does it not stay wet like mud and the poop stays right on top typically... but they will use it to take dust baths and eat some too which helps with their eating.....

 

[cimarron]

Thanks, folks! I think we'll try some sand.

Kind of a dumb question, but...to manage the poop, do you scoop the poop, or does it dry up? BTW We have 6 laying hens in about 300 sqft of enclosed space, half of which is uncovered.

 

[kcfuerst]

I use sand exclusively in my run of 400SF run for 8 hens. When I clean up by raking all the poo, I shovel it into my "chicken sifter". a piece of 1/8" welded wire nailed to two small pieces of wood. Just sift out the poo, pour it in a 5 gallon bucket and take it to the compost pile.

Also after things are cleaned up, I put down a layer of oyster shell lime followed by a layer of diatomaceous earth. Together, these things keep odor and bugs far far out of the picture. Usually do this about every two weeks. I use the deep litter method in the coop and only swap out that stuff twice a year. Use DE and lime in the coop too, with PDZ in the poo park (roosting areas).

 

[backdoorchicken]

the sand rakes out great but most of the poop just goes away somehow.




maybe the poop fairy?

 

[cimarron]

Thanks for the details, that really clears things up! We're going to get to work on Giving UP the Funk now.

 

[backdoorchicken]

Quote:
this should help

 

[cimarron]

Ah Yeah!!! Tear the roof off while you're at it!!!!