I bought a used coop how do absorb the ammonia smell?

[aart]

I wish it was 6 inches measured it at 15 inches. I bought this off Craigslist sight unseen and had a rollback pick it up and deliver it. The guy told me he used to have 40 chickens in it we found at leat 10 in the litter . I'm so ****** right now it came with 10 hens 3 of wish I had to put down and treat the rest for a respritory infection
Quote: OhYikes! Nothing in pic for scale.......but buying a coop, let alone live animals, sight unseen....hard lesson learned there.

 

[Snafumonkey79]

I would try removing the chickens, then was up sheets of newspaper, and maybe dump a bag of charcoal to absorb the odor. I've heard charcoal would work, but I've used newspaper to absorb dog/pee smells, just wad up sheets individually and scatter them out, you wouldn't believe how well it works

 

[MeepBeep]

On another note, once you get that dried and aired out, I would seriously consider sealing that wood...

 

[Snafumonkey79]

Sealing and possibly putting down linoleum

 

[Sutremaine]

I wish it was 6 inches measured it at 15 inches. I bought this off Craigslist sight unseen and had a rollback pick it up and deliver it. The guy told me he used to have 40 chickens in it we found at leat 10 in the litter . I'm so ****** right now it came with 10 hens 3 of wish I had to put down and treat the rest for a respritory infection
the coop

What... like... the remains of 10 hens? Buried in the litter?

If nothing else you've got some great compost material there. It might be a good idea to put the rest of the hens down as well. Respiratory infections in chickens are like cold sores. Once you've got the virus, it isn't going away, even if there are currently no symptoms.

How is the coop put together? You might be able to take off a few of the boards without having to remove too many layers of wood, and that would let a lot more air and light in.

 

[21hens-incharge]

You may also be able to use a sawzall and cut the floor out to replace the lumber.
If the walls are built on top of the edges of the wood this would be the best way to remove the wood.

Sunlight is a great disinfectant. I would try and remove some of the wall wood to let the sunshine in to help dry things out as well.
Fans to blow dry air across it and the Sweet PDZ or stall dry. If you intend to try and salvage the mostly rotted wood. I am sure you can tell I would replace the wood.

OH and please for the sake of your lungs use dust masks while working in that filth.
How are the other chickens doing? I would be very very concerned about their health. I would think they may need to be culled as well. Poor things living in that muck.

 

[bigcountry82]

Yes the remains of at least 10. The coop is very well built it has two large windows looking at adding some more. It really makes me mad when I called about it I realized I knew the guy and we have known each other for years I took him at his word and I could have never imagined he would have let his animals live that way.

What... like... the remains of 10 hens? Buried in the litter?

If nothing else you've got some great compost material there. It might be a good idea to put the rest of the hens down as well. Respiratory infections in chickens are like cold sores. Once you've got the virus, it isn't going away, even if there are currently no symptoms.

How is the coop put together? You might be able to take off a few of the boards without having to remove too many layers of wood, and that would let a lot more air and light in.

 

[Sutremaine]

What I mean is, how is it constructed? Last year I dismantled a caravan using mostly just a hammer and screwdriver by starting from the last thing that went on, and therefore wasn't held on by anything else. If you find one part of the coop that can be removed by being unscrewed or prised off, you can get at the parts underneath and start pulling those off. How useful this is to you will depend on which order the structure was built in. If the ends of the wall boards are underneath a single easily-accessible plank, then that's good.

 

[aart]

Yes the remains of at least 10. The coop is very well built it has two large windows looking at adding some more. It really makes me mad when I called about it I realized I knew the guy and we have known each other for years I took him at his word and I could have never imagined he would have let his animals live that way.
Quote: OMGosh!!! Talk about skeletons in the proverbial closet!!
Did you buy live birds from this guy too?

 

[bigcountry82]

OMGosh!!!  Talk about skeletons in the proverbial closet!!
Did you buy live birds from this guy too?

yes I bought 10 hens and I have put 3 down considering putting the rest down