New chickens are super smelly

[talkinboutchickens]

Hi everyone!
I just got 2 new hens from a friend that couldn't have them anymore because they were bullying her other 2 hens. Their names are Estelle (?) and Bernadette.

These girls are super stinky! Ive never had chickens that smell as bad as these babies before! They are stinking up my whole coop. The coop ofc smelled like poop before, but now it just smells like its filled with tons of fresh nasty cecal poops, which is not the case. No symptoms- no discharge from eyes, nose, etc. Acting normal. Drinking and eating.
What i was thinking is that perhaps they smell bad because maybe they were given too many scraps, or maybe they were on a bad food or something. But I want to hear your guy's thoughts. Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Any possibility they were kept in a filthy coop?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi everyone!
I just got 2 new hens from a friend that couldn't have them anymore because they were bullying her other 2 hens. Their names are Estelle (?) and Bernadette.
View attachment 4257068
These girls are super stinky! Ive never had chickens that smell as bad as these babies before! They are stinking up my whole coop. The coop ofc smelled like poop before, but now it just smells like its filled with tons of fresh nasty cecal poops, which is not the case. No symptoms- no discharge from eyes, nose, etc. Acting normal. Drinking and eating.
What i was thinking is that perhaps they smell bad because maybe they were given too many scraps, or maybe they were on a bad food or something. But I want to hear your guy's thoughts. Thanks!

Could be they didn't have a good dust bathing area.

Are you keeping them separated out for few weeks for observation?

I think I'd go out to the area you are keeping them in, turn up some of the soil, perhaps add a little sand or wood ash, let them watch you, hopefully this will entice them to take a good dust bath.

Alternatively, give them a good going over. If they are that stinky, they may be encrusted with poop that needs to be cleaned off.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Any possibility they were kept in a filthy coop?

My sister said that the coop was very very clean.

Could be they didn't have a good dust bathing area.

That's what my dad thought. He says that they had nowhere to dustbathe because their run was pretty small.

Are you keeping them separated out for few weeks for observation?

I know that I should have been separating them for at least 3 weeks as a precautionary measure, but we dont have any area to keep them in the meantime. I suggested keeping them in a large dog crate in the garage but my dad said that would be "too much work." We don't have extra coops or other areas. I am educated on quarantining chickens enough, and I am so ashamed that I could not do the best for my chickens by separating the new ones. The new babies are luckily active, clear eyes, no facial discharge, no weird poops or anything like that. But I still feel bad considering that I know how to properly quarantine chickens.

I think I'd go out to the area you are keeping them in, turn up some of the soil, perhaps add a little sand or wood ash, let them watch you, hopefully this will entice them to take a good dust bath.

I will try that, but I am worried that they aren't enticed enough to go outside because its been so cold lately. Its 34 right now, feel like of 23.

Alternatively, give them a good going over. If they are that stinky, they may be encrusted with poop that needs to be cleaned off.

The interesting thing that I failed to mention in my post, they dont have any poop on them that would cause them to smell. But I will check again. Thanks so much for your suggestions, Wyorp Rock.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I will try that, but I am worried that they aren't enticed enough to go outside because its been so cold lately. Its 34 right now, feel like of 23.

Yes, it's getting cold isn't it. Mine will still dust bath in a sunny spot on cold days, but if they aren't going outside and you have room inside the coop, consider giving them a tub of dirt/sand inside that they can get into and scratch about/dust bath. Just make sure the coop has plenty of ventilation.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Yes, it's getting cold isn't it. Mine will still dust bath in a sunny spot on cold days, but if they aren't going outside and you have room inside the coop, consider giving them a tub of dirt/sand inside that they can get into and scratch about/dust bath. Just make sure the coop has plenty of ventilation.

Good idea about the tub of dirt inside the coop.
I told my dad that we needed more ventilation because the roos were getting awful frostbite every year so he added a bit more which I'm very glad about.