My chicken coop has a sweet smell to it...what does it mean?

[SummerCK]

I walked into my chicken coop today and it smelled sweet. I wasn't a bad sweet but it wasn't a good one either. I would like to know if anybody has ever experienced this or knows what it is.

Thanks.

 

[20736]

what kind of litter are you using in the coop?

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Hum, wasn't a corn snake in there was there? Sweet, musky smell? I actually do not know. Have you changed anything as in bedding,, etc lately?

 

[CluckyCharms]

I would sift your chickens' bedding out of the way and look for molded areas along the walls, flooring and ceiling. Mold (depending on the type) can often smell quite sweet and earthy (not a good kind of sweet). Moths can create sweet scents as well as several other types of creepy-crawlies if there are enough of them. Boxelder bugs smell like a citronella candle (sweet) mixed with a pretty ripe skunk (and I don't know about everywhere else, but it's badddd for boxelder bugs here right now). Another cause could be what red barn farms already stated - corn snakes. However, it's just the male that emits the smell and you'd have to have a pretty good number of them in your coop to really notice it (or a very large adult) - depending on the size of your coop. Lots of things out there that can cause a sweetstink - I'd start looking beneath the coop bedding and around the base of the walls.

 

[SummerCK]

I haven't changed the bedding lately and I use pineshavings. I checked around and didn't notice any bugs or snakes but I will look for mold. Thanks and I will update soon. Is the mold bad and if so how could I take care of it?

 

[SummerCK]

Ok we'll the smell is gone. I dot know what caused it but thanks guys

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

Maybe your hens were baking cookies

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Maybe your hens were baking cookies

I hope it's oatmeal raisin with walnuts.

 

[kaylee gee]

I was actually looking online earlier, and came across this: (I was looking up wild animal poo! lol!)

http://www.discoverwildlife.com/british-wildlife/how-identify-animal-droppings

Badger

• Faeces can be very variable – soft and even runny when they have been eating worms, or solid and firm, like a large, fat sausage, when eating wheat or fruit.
• Where badgers are common, these are generally deposited in shallow pits, but are more generally just left on the surface. Easily recognised by sweet, musky smell.

So if you live in an area where badgers live, it may have been one!