Meaty stinky poops and just regular stinky chicken poops are two different things. When I say no smell at all, the individual poops have no smell when I hold them up to my nose. When they are kept dry they still have no smell. In my coop, after a rainy or humid day? Then you can smell some chicken stinky but not the overwhelming, rotten smell that gets in your mouth of the normal CX poop that I could smell last time.
I think that has more to do with more concentrated and more moist droppings in one place, so birds in a confined area like a tractor are going to have more smells than those who free range and don't concentrate their droppings in one place. Because my birds all sleep in one area that is much too small for their number(50 birds in a 8x10 area)~even though it is very open to the air~their feces are concentrated on one spot. Some days you can smell it when you walk into it and some days you can't....but it still doesn't even remotely smell like it would if I had 50 birds dropping their "normal" smelling loads there. If they were, I doubt I could stand to go in the place without gagging and my eyes watering. That is one reason that so many people really have to invest in bedding when they raise confined meaties...the massive amounts of foul smelling poop creates a real stench. The cecal poops are still a little rank on my birds but I think that is just normal chicken poops as well.
I've decided to start processing mine, even though I had planned on waiting until they are 10 wks. The main reason is that it is going to be cool and clear here all week...no humidity, no heat, cool breezes. Can't beat that kind of weather for perfect butchering weather! Chances are I won't have an opportunity like this anymore this spring, so I'm hopping on it now. Today the birds are 8 wks old and most are the proper size for processing. Since I'm doing them in manageable groups, some may be at 10 wks before they meet their end, but many will go this coming weekend and the week after.
I'm amazed at their growth and vitality, even at this age. One of them climbed the hoop house wall this morning(4 ft) and dropped into the coop because I was dishing out the feed and had them all locked out when I do it. There is netting up the wire to that height and I never dreamed any would fit through those cattle panel squares anymore nor climb that high...but they seem to be still flying, running, climbing, fighting and foraging without any regard to their increased weight and bulk.
I've marked one hen for keeping as she is the most dedicated forager and will often stay out all day foraging without any meals until she comes into the coop at dusk. I'd like to add her to my laying flock and see what happens.
I think that has more to do with more concentrated and more moist droppings in one place, so birds in a confined area like a tractor are going to have more smells than those who free range and don't concentrate their droppings in one place. Because my birds all sleep in one area that is much too small for their number(50 birds in a 8x10 area)~even though it is very open to the air~their feces are concentrated on one spot. Some days you can smell it when you walk into it and some days you can't....but it still doesn't even remotely smell like it would if I had 50 birds dropping their "normal" smelling loads there. If they were, I doubt I could stand to go in the place without gagging and my eyes watering. That is one reason that so many people really have to invest in bedding when they raise confined meaties...the massive amounts of foul smelling poop creates a real stench. The cecal poops are still a little rank on my birds but I think that is just normal chicken poops as well.
I've decided to start processing mine, even though I had planned on waiting until they are 10 wks. The main reason is that it is going to be cool and clear here all week...no humidity, no heat, cool breezes. Can't beat that kind of weather for perfect butchering weather! Chances are I won't have an opportunity like this anymore this spring, so I'm hopping on it now. Today the birds are 8 wks old and most are the proper size for processing. Since I'm doing them in manageable groups, some may be at 10 wks before they meet their end, but many will go this coming weekend and the week after.
I'm amazed at their growth and vitality, even at this age. One of them climbed the hoop house wall this morning(4 ft) and dropped into the coop because I was dishing out the feed and had them all locked out when I do it. There is netting up the wire to that height and I never dreamed any would fit through those cattle panel squares anymore nor climb that high...but they seem to be still flying, running, climbing, fighting and foraging without any regard to their increased weight and bulk.
I've marked one hen for keeping as she is the most dedicated forager and will often stay out all day foraging without any meals until she comes into the coop at dusk. I'd like to add her to my laying flock and see what happens.
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