need help with coop liter problem!

[Farmer Kitty]

You can get vents to put in the wall that have a screen on the inside and the angled slats on the outside that will keep the rain out. Put them across the coop from each other for better air flow.

 

[patandchickens]

I will try adding new litter to the old and see if that helps.

It probably will help a little but it does not sound to me like that is your main issue.

I was trying not to use a dropping pit so the ladys would have a little more floor space, but I guess that was a bad idea.

If you want to avoid losing floor space, use droppings boards. You might possibly have to rearrange your roosts if you currently use a ladder type arrangement, but done right, they can give you all the benefits of a pit without affecting your floor space in any way. The idea is to put a 12-14" shelf underneath each roost bar, and scrape the poo off every morning. I sprinkle a little bit of the floor shavings on the shelf after I clean it so the next night's poo doesn't stick, but that's optional. The chickens can walk around underneath the droppings boards, so floorspace is unaffected. 'Search' on recent threads about droppings boards for more detail.

I also may have a ventilation problem. The only vent I have right now is the small space at the top of the outer door. Had to close off the other opening when we had all the rain, it was raining in. I have been trying to leave the outer door open when the weather is nice.

Definitely that is your major cause of smell. You will REALLY need to put more ventilation in, as that degree of smell and humidity is not healthy for the chickens either.

Fortunately it is not hard. Just cut holes and hardware-cloth them. If rain gets in a vent, either replace it with something louvered or with a flap that can be temporarily closed in rainy-windy weather, or make a 'hood' for the outside. You could use plywood or a large piece of metal flashing to make the hood. Or if you have multiple small vents you could even use the things they sell to keep rain from going in clothes dryer vents outside of houses (you just want the hooded vent covers, NOT the ones with the louvers that open when the dryer is running, as the louvers will remain closed if you use them for the coop and thus block ventilation).

You want your vents split about 50/50 on opposite walls, or at least on two adjacent walls -- NOT all on one wall, which does not allow much movement of air. I believe Gail Damerow's book (the Storey guide on chickens) suggests something like 1 square foot of ventilation per chicken, which is probably a reasonable ballpark for a starting point although you might get away with less -- it is easy to close off any vents you don't 'need' at a particular moment. I know that may sound like a lot, especially compared to 'next to none'

but then you have kind of a lot of chickens in that coop too, so it is probably time to get out the saw

Good luck,

Pat​

 

[AtRendeAcres]

I didn't read all post so forgive me if I am repeating!

you need to add sweetPDZ (Agway) which they use for horse stalls to get the amonia smell out (or another brand)

add wood chips

if you are not using a droppings board it is easy as put up a shelf 18inch out with a lip to hold some wood chips on about 2 feet off ground (you will still have floor space under!)

2x4 over that for roost sprinkle a few wood chips over every couple days sweep off with broom into bucket & sprinkle new (your floor wood chips will stay much cleaner)

I need to update my ventilation but for now I leave door open a bit too!
PDZ will help with smell

good luck