Help. Why does my coop smell like fish?

[Tonyroo]

Don't have there feed in the sand area, I know exactly what your talking about.

 

[ChknMama50]

YIKES........ we were JUST telling a new chicken owning friend our snake stories a couple days ago! I'm dreading more runs ins... I have one little EE hen who I swear is like a snake "pointer"! She has alerted me to a baby copperhead once in the straw my husband had JUST put down in the run...
Once they find your eggs be prepared for a very persistent critter who knows where to find an easy meal! Think they got into the old run either when it was open to let the girls have their run of the yard OR got thru the big chicken wire holes but then eat the eggs and get stuck in there where I find them...

Once the same little chicken stood in the doorway to the run even getting pecked on by everyone wanting to get in and out until I FINALLY saw what she was staring up at making those same little "worried" noises she makes, then looking at me like MOOOMMMM!!! - sure enough, HUGE 6 footer coiled above me on wire covered "roof" of the run! Got my husband's help that time! I had to "fling" that same damn snake off the roof again a few days later and get him OUT of the box another- as I said- persistent! 'He' ate a ceramic egg that last time and we never saw it again....NOT intentional!

Do admit to killing one early on- but in my defense, he had my BABY in his mouth with her cute little fluffy butt the only thing I could still see ... sad story! Was stopping to check in on the chicks coming home late one evening and saw him with the light of the heat lamp & went psycho mama on him! BUT we usually just try to get them as far away as possible to save our eggs...
I've heard the same about Copperheads from older neighbors but honestly, I'm just happy I've only seen the one baby.... we are in the woods pretty much with a lake at the back of our property- so surely have water moccasins too (cottonmouths) but chickens stay in front pasture!

Was GOING to say my first thought was your feed- tried some organic food made in VA that is supposed to be so great, but good thing my girls wouldn't touch it cause no way could I take that smell- or want to taste it in their eggs... fish meal was the protein! Many are. In looking for one without- landed on BSFL being the protein source- they love it and even better, it's like micro pellets which works best for me as the crumbles end up all dust and they won't eat the big normal pellets... picky as me!!