How to make the "Silkie Smell" less intense

[Bryce Thomas]

I love my chickens with all my heart, I love them like a brother. Some days when I hug and cuddle them I barely smell anything and with my black hen shadow I never smell anything, while other days the smell is so intense when I pick them up my nose just goes blind with the death wind of chicken butt... Is there any way to make the smell less intense? Just is it is known, I bath them about every 2 or 3 weeks. When they are washed the smell is only intensified because of all the humidity and everything.

 

[Xouie]

Wait... silkies get birdie odor?!?! Watching this thread now to learn.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Wait... silkies get birdie odor?!?! Watching this thread now to learn.

Its not super intense but sometimes they just smell bad. Their pompom like feathers are great for trapping allergens under their feathers, for people who have really bad allergies its like instant allergy chicken

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Stop bathing them so often. You're just removing the oils that help keep them cleaner

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Stop bathing them so often. You're just removing the oils that help keep them cleaner

Other that not bathing them at all, what can I do other than that?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Nothing. They're chickens, they're gonna smell. They've got a distinct chicken butt smell

 

[Xouie]

How about dust baths? Those help my smelly birds.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

How about dust baths? Those help my smelly birds.

I think they might help but im not too sure

 

[3KillerBs]

Do your chickens have regular access to natural dirt for dust-bathing? That's how they remove the stale oils from their feathers and keep themselves clean.

If the problem is poop collecting in the feathers around their vents you can trim the area to stop poop from sticking to the feathers.

Also, how much ventilation does your coop have and is the ventilation located at the very top of the roof so that ammonia can escape. If ammonia builds up the chicken feathers can absorb the odor (not to mention that it's terribly unhealthy for their lungs).

Finally, birds do have a distinct natural odor that some people find unpleasant. Not a sewage smell, but a distinctly BIRD smell, even when absolutely clean.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Do your chickens have regular access to natural dirt for dust-bathing? That's how they remove the stale oils from their feathers and keep themselves clean.

If the problem is poop collecting in the feathers around their vents you can trim the area to stop poop from sticking to the feathers.

Also, how much ventilation does your coop have and is the ventilation located at the very top of the roof so that ammonia can escape. If ammonia builds up the chicken feathers can absorb the odor (not to mention that it's terribly unhealthy for their lungs).

Finally, birds do have a distinct natural odor that some people find unpleasant. Not a sewage smell, but a distinctly BIRD smell, even when absolutely clean.

They always have access to dirt

I always trim their vent feathers

The coop is made out of chain link fencing (yes ik about predators and they cannot get in, i have tested it out using other animals)