My coop smells like a Pig Pen

[mothergoose1963]

I just saw that on the news!!! I hate ice!

 

[Tn Gamebirds]

It's rained here seems like forever too!!!! But better than snow and ice i guess.

I would be happy if the ground would freeze and stay that way for awhile. Just to get away from all the mud for awhile

 

[cmom]

I use DE in my coop in their run and where they like to dust bathe. In the pine shavings in their coop I sprinkle FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth (DE) on the shavings. Also my roosts in my coop are over wire which allows the poop through and I sprinkle the DE over the poop too. The pine shavings are on the floor in the rest of the coop. Monthly I add some shavings and weekly I add DE. Once in awhile I throw some scratch on the shaving with the DE and let the chickens mix it up. They so a very good job. I have no problems with flies, stink and such. My pine shavings stay nice and dry easy to clean out.

 

[LynneP]

If you can find some, try using Stable Boy powder, it mixes safely with your DE, and is really impressive. We've had a wet year until recently, and the coop stayed in good shape. Can also be used in the run.

 

[Cetawin]

Quote:
Ditto here...the coop temp was 40 degrees with the heat lamps over the waterers but the humidity was 80%! I have tons of ventilation and two windows....Sweet PDZ is not touching it here either.

With snow and now freezing rain I am losing my mind.

 

[Sahara]

Quote:
Being from FL we have the luxury of having sand floors and I do in all my coops. I totally agree with you. I have no smells from any coops, just my composter (yuk!).

 

[erinm]

We just had huge amounts of rain her in Ma.( some parts got huge amounts of an ice storm but I am not that far north...Whew! ) And now you midwesterners are sending that huge snow storm our way today! My backyard was a sloppy mess last week, now it is frozen and later today it will be buried. New England for ya.. ErinM

 

[sunnydee]

I don't have that humidity problem here in Maine (at least not this time of year.) I am using the deep litter method with DE. Every other day we "poop scoop". I also provide BOSS or scratch inside on top of shavings and the chickens do a wonderful job turning the litter all day long.

Sounds like a sand floor is the way to go in hot humid areas.

 

[joebryant]

I've always promised Anne a little shack on a hill with pigs in a pig pen. If "my coop smells like a pig pen", I'll get a pig and get Anne off my case.

 

[Beekissed]

Mine free range, so I'm not having run smells and I'm using the deep litter method in the coop~not having excessive smells there either. We have the rain here also. I have plastic over all the windows in my coop but its pretty well ventilated by the pop door and various cracks in the walls and floors. I am using some very sweet, green hay for litter and the chickens are keeping it turned well. I just throw a couple of handfuls of corn in the bedding and it entertains them greatly while getting my bedding turned.

My egg production is going up daily, as my 5 mo. old flock are starting to lay now.

I feel for all you folks who have enclosed runs~I can imagine the rains is reeking havoc with them!