Smell?

[cluckmecoop7]

As long as their run and coop stays dry and well ventilated, odor shouldn’t be a problem. Will you be free ranging your flock?

No, I won't be free ranging.

 

[MissChick@dee]

My chickens don’t smell. I rake and turn the run every day (5 minutes) I clean the poop out of the coop every day (10 minutes). I get more fly’s in summer from my dogs poo than I ever do in my run. If you make it a habit to tidy up everyday you shouldn’t have a problem. Think about making a compost pile...when it’s turned and not too wet or dry it actually smells like sweet soil. Could be just me lol...I think chickens poop is a gift from the Garden Angles.
But seriously good habits make for good smells. Best wishes

 

[mandelyn]

It only smells if it's wet and too poopy. Regardless of the bedding used... you can either compost the poo in place with deep litter, keep it dry and clean every so often, or pick it up. Poo boards are a huge help for under the roosts if you can commit to keeping them cleaned off.

Sweat PDZ horse stall refresher can help a lot with odors from ammonia. Sand helps dry it out faster.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thanks, what kind of sand @mandelyn?

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you manage the bedding/litter properly there shouldn't be a noticeable smell. I use deep litter and we get a lot of rain. My run is about 20 feet from my house and even standing in the middle of it, there's no real smell most of the time and that's standing point blank.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Keeping the run dry in winter eliminates mud during the thaw or rainy season. Tarps are wonderful!! I completely tarped my run, my yard is frozen mud. My run dry dirt and straw. They protect my chickens from bitter winds and snow and rain...I just don’t know why I waited so long. Guess I had to make everyone suffer before I got smart about it. lol