How to get rid of smell?

[humblehillsfarm]

Let me take part in a broken a record here, Keep the manure in the coop dry.
If you can dry out manure you do not even need bedding but I highly recommend having bedding,

My first chicken experience story so you know we all make mistakes:
I lined the floor of my storage shed with 6 mil plastic, then layered about 1 foot of straw. I had the feed and waterer in there. Chickens would bump into a hanging waterer and a little would spill here, and a little would spill there. Eventually the coop was filled with an Ammonia odor that was so unbearable the chickens would not go in there anymore. It felt like Chemical Warfare. I could not figure out why, I had a foot of straw. When I cleaned it out I noticed the worst of the smell was under the waterer. I realized a water proof floor and a waterer inside the coop was a huge mistake. I no longer allow water in coops unless I keep chickens locked in a coop for what ever reason. Water is kept in the run or spread out through out the "free range" of a chickens.

I took my waterer out for the same reason!

 

[Compost King]

I took my waterer out for the same reason!

I went a step further, every coop I have made since has hardware cloth floors so any water that gets in has a path out. It also allows manure and bedding to dry out from 2 different directions. Also if I run out of straw for a bedding the manure that gets caught up by the hardware cloth dries out so fast that it no longer stinks. Keeping things dry seems to be the key to everything with chickens.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I went a step further, every coop I have made since has hardware cloth floors so any water that gets in has a path out. It also allows manure and bedding to dry out from 2 different directions. Also if I run out of straw for a bedding the manure that gets caught up by the hardware cloth dries out so fast that it no longer stinks. Keeping things dry seems to be the key to everything with chickens.

I agree! I cracked down after a single respiratory infection and a case of bumblefoot. I think you're a bit south of me though. Not all of us could have a mesh floor unfortunately. I added a poop board to collect poop and removed the water so no more poop or moisture to cause odor or mold. If I could, I'd have a more open coop but it gets down to zero or colder in the winter.

 

[Compost King]

. I think you're a bit south of me though. Not all of us could have a mesh floor unfortunately.

a mesh floor lined with cardboard and covered in straw (or your favorite bedding would work, but if you have all your problems solved the way you are set up now keep it that way. However if something comes up and you need to build a new coop and you have the supplies on hand to do what I described I am sure it would work fine.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

a mesh floor lined with cardboard and covered in straw (or your favorite bedding would work, but if you have all your problems solved the way you are set up now keep it that way. However if something comes up and you need to build a new coop and you have the supplies on hand to do what I described I am sure it would work fine.

I do plan on building a much larger coop within the year. Hopefully. It's desperately needed! Chicken math got me REALLY GOOD!

 

[Compost King]

I do plan on building a much larger coop within the year. Hopefully. It's desperately needed! Chicken math got me REALLY GOOD!

Just keep doing what works for you, Maybe your way is better than my way.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

Compressed wood stove pellets work great for banning odors! I used them for my rabbits and have them in the chicken runs.

 

[Compost King]

Compressed wood stove pellets work great for banning odors! I used them for my rabbits and have them in the chicken runs.

100% agree, if I had access to them and they worked in my set ups I would use them

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

100% agree, if I had access to them and they worked in my set ups I would use them

You can get them at TSC. They are really cheap.

 

[Compost King]

You can get them at TSC. They are really cheap.

I just looked that up actually, and I can get them at lowes. I am also thinking of using them as a base for my potting soil. They seem cheaper than Coir coconut fibers or what ever it's called. Wet it down, let it expand and mix in Bunny Poopies. Instant potting soil. Maybe add Perlite and I can mix in compost if I do not have enough bunny pellets.