How bad do chicken coops stink?

[Fourgirlsoneboy]

NEWBIE ALERT! Within 2 weeks I will have a decent size flock of peeps. All I have heard is how bad chicken coops smell and how the amonia is terrible (one guy told me today he almost died as a kid from the smell). So I have to ask- if they aren't overcrowded and the coop is kept clean and dry, how bad does it smell? I am hearing all kinds of horror stories (really! from MANY people) and I would like to think that if they are kept clean, they aren't so stinky (at least I am crossing my fingers- my dh is not so keen on this new obsession the kids and I have

)

I have only been inside one other coop (a neighbors) and I didn't think it was bad at all (but maybe I'm in denial)

.

 

[AkTomboy]

None of mine stink since they are kept dry, have ventaltion, and are not stuffed full. Mine are only in at night and so it is pretty easy to keep up with the task of cleaning and so on.

 

[justmeandtheflock]

Mine doesn't smell too bad at all unless it is getting close to time to clean it out. I scrap and remove what I can, turn the shavings and throw in some new ones along with some stall dry every few days and it lasts a few weeks in between clean outs.

 

[Imp]

if they aren't overcrowded and the coop & run is kept clean and dry

There's your answer.

Imp- My cat box smells worse than the coop, and it's inside.

 

[sonew123]

mine doesn't stink-8 x 8 and I have yet to "clean" it out in 3 months-so far 6 birds are in but by late fall it will be shared with 7 laying hens-I still dont thinkit will smell I have to huge windows for airation and us DE and DLM-so I add new shavings every week-perfect! My chicks who are in a cages until they are off Med food stink! I clean out their cages 2x a week and bleach them too-pee-uuu I love free ranging birds so clean!!!

 

[trilyn]

I'm at the max-18 birds in an 8x8 coop with attached 25x8 run. It does not stink at all! I can't believe it. I use the deep litter method with de, I scrape my roosts, sprinkle them with de, fluff up my nest boxes, and stir up the litter daily. My coop is dry and that is with both food and water in there. Of course it helps that my feeders hang and I have nipple waterers so there is no wet litter. Ventilation is key as well as windows for light and fresh air. It takes me a whopping 10 minutes a day to refill waterers, fluff up the coop and top off feed. The rest of the time is enjoying chickies and collecting eggs! Good luck and have fun with your new chickies-they're so worth it!

 

[Fourgirlsoneboy]

Quote:
I've got the DE, what is DLM? We are going to have a sand run and scoop that once a day,will have deep layer pellets and nipple waterers in the coop so I hope it isn't too bad. The chicks will be in our house and we'll be keeping that super clean cause dh lives there too and we are wanting to keep them (and him- lol!)

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[gumpsgirl]

The coop will only smell as bad as you let it smell.

There are tricks you can use / do to help keep things smelling okay. First off, change the litter in the coop (I use kiln dried pine shavings) often. Don't wait for months on end. I also use food grade DE to help dry the poo out, which helps keep the smell down. It's also good to sand down your roosts every month or so and apply a mixture of tea tree oil and olive oil. That helps tremendously!

Just remember, if the ammonia smell is to strong for your nose, then it's way to strong for your chickens. It's not good for them to breath either.

 

[SallyF]

Gumpsgirl, thanks for the hint about the roosts. First time I've heard that one.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Yep! It works like a charm!

Just keep in mind that tea tree oil is very strong and it doesn't take much for the mixture.