Question about smelly, dirty, messy, chickens

[kryptoniteqhs]

My coops smell and so do the waters. I change out everyones water once a day and scrub it. I clean out the coops and keep fresh shavings in there and it still smells like bird crap! also the flies are bad! i just put fly predators down today all around and in the coops. i also have a few fly sticky traps in each coop and a jug that the flies go in and drown.

Everything is well ventilated, in fact, all of my coops are open on all four sides, but have a nice roof and nesting boxes that keep them out of the bad weather. i desperately want to put lime down and i have some on hand, but i dont want to kill my birds either. what would you suggest?

 

[Omran]

some times if the coop for somereason or another get muddy, then no one can control the smell, sounds to me like my run after the rain, so if you have this problem then try to make a way to let as little water as possible get in your coops.

 

[miss_jayne]

what dimensions are your coops? sq feet per birds?

i agree with Omran...sometimes things are just damp and will get funky smelling as they dry up. they release the odor as they dry.

what bedding are you using in your coops?

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

i have shavings in all but one. one of the just has thick dirt/sand.

i dont know the demensions of hand, but theres plenty of room for everyone.

i think one of them is something like 12x24 and i have 9 birds in it
the others i dont have a clue lol (on the demensions)

 

[Uncle T's Bantam's]

If you put down Lime in the coop and the run it will stop the fly's and smell

 

[AHappychick]

the lime to use is Orcanic traditions pelted, it works wonders and wont hurt you or the chooks

 

[miss_jayne]

to put the lime down, make sure that you rake it in or spray it down though as it can burn skin.

 

[redhen]

What kind of lime is safe for them? Pelleted? whats the other kind of lime?

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

Quote:
ok i think i know what ur talking about......what if they eat the pellets?

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

also could i use ANY pelleted lime, or only that brand?