Help with ammonia smell

[Kchicken1988]

This is my first winter with chickens. They have a coop, and out door run

We live In Oregon where it rains. A lot !
This last fall I noticed the coop was smelling what I think is Ammonia. It smells like straight cat pee.
I took out all the shavings and replaced with new.
I have been flipping it around every week or so.
Tonight when I went to Flip it I noticed the smell is back. It’s so foul and makes your nostrils burn.
When I flipped open the nest boxes I noticed two were pretty moist from the rain. It’s the side that gets hit the worse.
I need to fix that. But would that small amount effect the whole over all house. what am I doing wrong and how can I fix this.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Wet bedding = stinky bedding. You have any photos of your set up, especially the nest box area that you say is getting wet from rain? Do you know if it's leaking or how is the water getting in?

 

[Kchicken1988]

I also believe I have good ventilation. I have two little windows that stay open on top of the house and it gets good air flow

 

[Kchicken1988]

Wet bedding = stinky bedding. You have any photos of your set up, especially the nest box area that you say is getting wet from rain? Do you know if it's leaking or how is the water getting in?

I think it’s getting in because you lift open the nest boxes and there’s a tiny crack in between. I think it’s only because the rain blows in just right.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I also believe I have good ventilation. I have two little windows that stay open on top of the house and it gets good air flow

You'll need to be more specific. "Two little windows" = how much sq ft? Are those windows the only ventilation? What is the sq footage of coop? How many chickens?

With some set ups you may need to do frequent clean outs to stay on top of the amount of ammonia and poop build up, with others you can go quite long. I do twice a year bedding cleanouts with daily spot cleaning under the roost.

 

[blackandtan]

If it burns your nose you don’t have good ventilation. Can you find stall fresh at the feed store? It will help. Maybe install a poop board under the perches, it’s easy to scrape off every day and keeps the bedding cleaner.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Buy a bunch of boxes of baking soda and mix it in your wood shavings, it will help.

 

[Kchicken1988]

It’s about 6X12. About 4 feet tall inside. It’s rather large
12 hen boxes
11 hens and one rooster

the venaltion is about 8 inches tall and 8 inches long

 

[Kchicken1988]

Should I be turning the bedding every day?i so about every week

 

[Kchicken1988]

Is there such a thing as adding a little fan in the Ventilation window?