Stinky girls!!

[Murdy]

Good morning all! I'm in need of some advice. My girls stink! Haha!

I'm using the deep litter method and when I put my head in the coop it smells fine. Seems to be an issue in the run. On the ground I just have dirt. I throw grass clippings and a little bit of compostables in there for them to munch on. As the smell has increased I came up with a plan last week to rototill the floor of the run and help it all out. This does not seem to have worked. My new plan is to add in some loamy soil, peatmoss and sand (and maybe some wood shavings) so there is better drainage and they can dig around in there more easily. Think this will work? Any tips, tricks, advice or other things I can add to help out? I also have a bag of "fresh coop", but I hesitate to add that as I'd like to be able to dig up the floor of the run annually and add it to the garden. That said... I don't really know what's in that bag, but I assume it's not organic.

Thanks all!

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

Do you have any plain, white barn lime lying around? If so, you may want to try sprinkling that around the run. I feel like shavings will probably just get wet and nasty. Maybe woodchips?

@aart @ChickenCanoe @cluckmecoop7

 

[DobieLover]

Good morning all! I'm in need of some advice. My girls stink! Haha!

I'm using the deep litter method and when I put my head in the coop it smells fine. Seems to be an issue in the run. On the ground I just have dirt. I throw grass clippings and a little bit of compostables in there for them to munch on. As the smell has increased I came up with a plan last week to rototill the floor of the run and help it all out. This does not seem to have worked. My new plan is to add in some loamy soil, peatmoss and sand (and maybe some wood shavings) so there is better drainage and they can dig around in there more easily. Think this will work? Any tips, tricks, advice or other things I can add to help out? I also have a bag of "fresh coop", but I hesitate to add that as I'd like to be able to dig up the floor of the run annually and add it to the garden. That said... I don't really know what's in that bag, but I assume it's not organic.

Thanks all!

If you are doing DLM in the coop you should also be doing it in the run.
Can you get a hold of wood chips? Check with your Town Highway Department. They frequently offer wood chips from the branches that they collect curbside. I use about 4-6" of wood chips in the run. They love to scratch around in them and dig holes and dust bathe in them.
Add LOTS of dry organic material for them.
Also how many chickens do you have in what size run, does rain runoff collect in the run or drain in a different direction and is there a solid roof on the run?

 

[Murdy]

Do you have any plain, white barn lime lying around? If so, you may want to try sprinkling that around the run. I feel like shavings will probably just get wet and nasty. Maybe woodchips?

@aart @ChickenCanoe @cluckmecoop7

I can certainly get some. Thanks!

 

[aart]

I'd like to be able to dig up the floor of the run annually and add it to the garden.

If you want to make garden soil, you need to balance your run compost between browns and greens(chicken poop is green) and moisture.
I'd avoid wood chips, as it won't break down fast for garden soil and can be a 'nitrogen stealer' for garden plants.
Is there a drainage problem in the run?

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/368973-waukesha-50-lb-shur-tred-barnlime.html

When I use lime in my chicken houses, this is usually the kind I use.

 

[Murdy]

If you are doing DLM in the coop you should also be doing it in the run.
Can you get a hold of wood chips? Check with your Town Highway Department. They frequently offer wood chips from the branches that they collect curbside. I use about 4-6" of wood chips in the run. They love to scratch around in them and dig holes and dust bathe in them.
Add LOTS of dry organic material for them.
Also how many chickens do you have in what size run, does rain runoff collect in the run or drain in a different direction and is there a solid roof on the run?

So.... You would not carry out the plan that I mentioned?
I have access to affordable wood shavings.... But when you say wood chips, do you mean Mulch? I could do that as well easily.
What do you mean by dry organic materials? Is that the wood chips? Or do you mean grass clippings? Is adding the clippings a good idea? Is there cu a thing as too much?
My run is 8'x12'. Roughly half of that is covered by the elevated coop and roof. The other half has an apple tree over top. The run get a little bit of rain, but nothing too serious.
I have 10 girls (I think they're all girls.... Still young) in there right now. We may end up downsizing.... We're waiting to see how it goes and if we have any issues with any of them.
Thanks for the reply!

 

[Murdy]

If you want to make garden soil, you need to balance your run compost between browns and greens(chicken poop is green) and moisture.
I'd avoid wood chips, as it won't break down fast for garden soil and can be a 'nitrogen stealer' for garden plants.
Is there a drainage problem in the run?

The soil is pretty packed.... Even after tilling. That's why I'm planning to add the loamy soil and peat.

 

[DobieLover]

So.... You would not carry out the plan that I mentioned?
I have access to affordable wood shavings.... But when you say wood chips, do you mean Mulch? I could do that as well easily.
What do you mean by dry organic materials? Is that the wood chips? Or do you mean grass clippings? Is adding the clippings a good idea? Is there cu a thing as too much?
My run is 8'x12'. Roughly half of that is covered by the elevated coop and roof. The other half has an apple tree over top. The run get a little bit of rain, but nothing too serious.
I have 10 girls (I think they're all girls.... Still young) in there right now. We may end up downsizing.... We're waiting to see how it goes and if we have any issues with any of them.
Thanks for the reply!

No, I wouldn't. It sounds like too much work! Just having a stink free dry run is my goal.

I have compost bins and collect the droppings off the poop boards every morning. They get mixed with grass clippings from the yard and leaves when they fall. That's what I put in my gardens.

 

[Lilokieescorter]

Good morning all! I'm in need of some advice. My girls stink! Haha!

I'm using the deep litter method and when I put my head in the coop it smells fine. Seems to be an issue in the run. On the ground I just have dirt. I throw grass clippings and a little bit of compostables in there for them to munch on. As the smell has increased I came up with a plan last week to rototill the floor of the run and help it all out. This does not seem to have worked. My new plan is to add in some loamy soil, peatmoss and sand (and maybe some wood shavings) so there is better drainage and they can dig around in there more easily. Think this will work? Any tips, tricks, advice or other things I can add to help out? I also have a bag of "fresh coop", but I hesitate to add that as I'd like to be able to dig up the floor of the run annually and add it to the garden. That said... I don't really know what's in that bag, but I assume it's not organic.

Thanks all!

I use oat/wheat straw that way I can go in & use leaf grabber scoops to clean out the floor & then add fresh every so often & they can scratch @ the leftover meal. But you don't put a boatload or else it'll mold