how to keep the smell down?

[Lyssa]

DE is Diatomaceous earth. Get only food grade. I pick it up inexpensively at a local food coop, but the stuff is great.
"Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, as a mild abrasive, as a mechanical insecticide[citation needed], as an absorbent for liquids, as cat litter, as an activator in blood clotting studies, and as a stabilizing component of dynamite. As it is also heat-resistant, it can be used as a thermal insulator."

The tiny skeletal remains of the diatoms cuts the exoskeletons of bugs and they dry out. Some people take a teaspoon a day for intestinal parasites in humans and animals. It is used in commercial granaries to keep bugs from polluting the grain supply kept in big silo's, you can slap it on your pets/birds, (their backs, under their wings, etc) and it will keep mites and lice from becoming a problem. It's non toxic, so any bugs it kills the birds can eat without getting poisoned. ) Great stuff. I use it around my house for insect management. Don't put it in a garden where you want beneficial insects, it will kill them too.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

How many square feet do you have per chicken and what are you using for litter? Check for water leaks, also. What do you have for ventilation openings in the coop?

 

[CAdreaming]

Thank You all for the explanation of DE. When I pick up my chicks on Thursday, I'll have to see if the feed store sells it.

 

[savilcr]

I have good ventalation and hay all over the run, they free range during the day so that helps some. Im going to try this DE stuff.

 

[speckledhen]

Just make sure it says "food grade" on the bag and that is does NOT contain something like 85% silicon (silica? I can never get it right). That should be more like 1% or it's not food grade. Most feed stores will probably not get that and will try to sell you the bad stuff. This is one type that I get:

Remember, it keeps things dry, and dessicates soft bodied insects, but is not specifically for odor control, other than the fact that a dry coop rarely has much ammonia odor.

 

[stargazingmommy]

Quote:
thank you for this, I have the wrong kind. Guess I'll just use it in the basement and sides of the house.

 

[Anniek]

Any ideas for keeping the smell down in the chicken yard? I have 12 chickens and a fairly large fenced in area where they are most of the time. I let them free range occasionally when we are home and out in the backyard. The fenced area is mostly grass covered, And I have just started noticing a small odor coming from the chicken poop in the yard area. Thanks for any help.