How do I get rid of this smell??

[suzpyoung]

We had a heck of a lot of snow this winter, and I felt so sorry for the chickens because they didn't want to come out of the coop. Putting straw out was wonderful for them. They picked and played in it all day. I did this several times over the course of winter, and now that everything is melted the smell from the large amounts of feed they wasted mixed into the wet straw is horrible. It is much like a pig farm smell. I hauled it all out of the coop into a pile out back, but boy we can smell it many, many yards away. Any ideas how to get rid of the smell? I don't think this straw will ever dry out enough to burn. Will it eventually compost?

 

[TriciaHowe]

I use LIBERAL amounts of hydrated lime when my coop flooded to kill the smell. Works great. I know exactly what smell you are talking about

 

[tcmstalcup]

can you control burn where you are?

 

[ellieroo]

Spread it out and burn if you can.If not still spread but turn it over a couple of times Pray for wind that helps dry.also pzp can do wonders (stall freshner)! Its like skunk it will pass

someday!

 

[esthermgr]

Stinky compost stuff (either poo or food scraps or anything else) means too wet and too much nitrogen. Add "brown" matter and try to dry it out a bit. Lots of people I know swear by food-grade diatomaceous earth to dry things out. If I were you I might sprinkle googobs of that all over the pile, let it sit for a day or two, and then cover the whole thing with a thick layer of free wood chips from a tree-trimming company. One thing's for sure- it'll eventually rot down into beautiful dirt. I just wouldn't put anything in it that might destroy its usefulness in the garden from a chemical standpoint.

 

[suzpyoung]

I can't control burn until June 1 - and I don't think I can stand the stench till then, lol. I do have a lot of DE that I could put on after spreading it out. Thanks for that idea!

 

[ellieroo]

DE will work great! Love the cute face in your pic !

 

[Short Rooster]

head down to my work and when my boss isn't looking put it in his car!

 

[Kim_1970]

Quote:
Best reply ever!

 

[NoraWI]

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is your solution. It works miracles!