Issues having chickens close to the house

[Steve B]

I'm new at this and I have a few questions. We got 6 chicks on April 1 and I managed to get my wife to agree to allowing them to be fenced in under our deck and just outside our walkout basement door. She's a saint! They were all supposed to be hens - but I think one is a rooster.

I know this will be a great set up in the winter so we can easily care for them. This will allow me to plug in a light, have a heater for their water, and collect the eggs without going too far.

The downside of this location is going to be managing any odor.

The question is - how can I best prevent or manage any smell since they will be so close to the house? I'm hoping to do it with the least effort possible. I can fence in as big of an area as needed if that will help. They currently have about 150 square feet of run to play in. So far, I've only noticed the smell a few times, but I'm sure it will get worse since they've only been outside for a couple weeks. The bottom of their coop has a hardware cloth bottom - so there is slowly going to be a build up underneath (it's about 2 feet off the ground). I'll be building a coop for them for the winter that will be insulated and have a vinyl floor.

Any tips on a low maint. way of keeping the smell under control?

 

[eponagirl]

Sprinkle Stall Dry on the bedding material, that will help!

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

This might seem funny I started using de for flies but notice the smell isint that bad gets rid of flys and keeps the smell away...
If you use de make sure you buy food grade...Diamtomaceous earth if you want to read about it look for perma-gaurd this works great for me ....

 

[CATRAY44]

I agree with 3chickens... all the above work great. Also pine bedding in the coop is great for absorbing yuck. I just stir things up in the morning and I never have odor or flies. 6 chickens should be pretty easy to manage odor-wise.

 

[Cyberous]

I too have chickens under the house err deck. I did this for the same reasons, much easier to collect eggs, and power/water all right here.

Search "Deep Litter Method" using DE (as previously stated) and Pine shavings and you will have no smell issues. It has worked wonderfully and thats saying some thing too since I have 8 Cornish X (pooping machines)

Don

 

[Steve B]

Thanks for the picture Cyberous - I'd love to see the other side of the area. I'll post a few pictures of my set up this week. It's a work in process.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only ones with chickens under the deck.

This morning I mounted a bug light over their area so I can give the some free protein.

 

[Steve B]

Also is this DE available at Tractor Supply? What is it and how much does it cost roughly?

 

[Cyberous]

I'm heading out now but will snap some photos this afternoon.

TSC does not sell FOOD GRADE DE (Must be Food Grade) The Box stores sell DE but its for swimmingpools and it will kill your chickens.

I got mine here.
http://www.custommilling.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=27

Read this on the DLM,.. good stuff!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1560-DLM

Don

 

[CATRAY44]

Quote:
You can get Stall Dry at tractor supply... I think it is somewhere around 8 dollars for a large bag... should last you a long time. I don't put it in my run, as it does clump up, but it is great for the coop (mix it with pine bedding.) I use DE in the run. DE has the consistency of powdered sugar and a little goes a long way with me. I don't have to use it very often in the run. I do throw some in the coops from time to time, but usually stall dry is enough. DE is good protection from mites and lice.

 

[eponagirl]

Tractor Supply has Stall Dry...Stall Dry has the right DE in it already, so it is great to use and freshens things up.