Keeping odors down

Fresh chicken droppings don't smell, other than the cecal ones. However, if they get wet, they do begin to stink. So keeping things dry is your best solution. However, even dry droppings will attract flies. I have sand in my covered runs, and go around daily with a reptile litter scoop and pick out as many of the droppings as reasonably possible. Every so often I rake the sand to till in the droppings that I've missed.
 
WE put a DEEP layer of oak leaves in our run. I have a rake that I use to rake them around every two or three days. Eventually, you have some beautiful compost under those. I have more leaves and it is time to add a layer. We have very little odor unless it rains, and then I just rake more often for a day or two.
 
There are two products - Stall Dry and Sweet PDZ.

I prefer Sweet PDZ. I really only have a problem when it rains. Then I liberally sprinkle Sweet PDZ. It absorbs the moisture and helps cut the ammonia. I just sprinkle a layer on and let the chickens scratch it around. It is safe for them.
 
Yup, keep it very, very dry. I use oak leaves, too. Not only are the FREE for the taking in the fall and again in the spring (but fall leaves are better quality, more intact and generally drier), but I believe that the tannin really helps keep odor down. When I ran out last year in July/August and had to switch to straw, I suddenly got more odor, especially with the ducks (yeah, try keeping a duck pen dry!).

Deep litter, keep it dry, rake around and topdress frequently, use Sweet PDZ, clean it out 2-3 times a year, and no odor problems.
 
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Agree, you probably will find you have a moisture / mold problem or that it's a ammonia fume build up due to lack of ventilation. When you clean out the coop, look at fixing the problem's source (roof leak, rain drop splatter, water fount, lack of venting, etc) If you water your birds inside the coop, maybe you can put a tray with a grate over it, under the waterer to catch the drips and keep the litter dry or simply move the fount outside since that's where chicken like to spend their time.
 

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