Stinky mulch in & around run?

[augustmomx2]

My dh & I converted our kids' playhouse into a coop earlier this year. It already had mulch around it. A portion of the mulched area is in the run & the remaining around the coop. This year tho, it smells so bad

The coop itself smells fine, not an overwhelming poo smell & the mulch smell is not poo...its rotted mulch? I've raked it several times, trying to dry it out, since we've had a lot of rain lately. Anyone else have this prob? Is it the mulch or the poo & mulch mixture? Should I add more mulch or keep raking to allow the old stuff to dry out? Any info would be greatly appreciated

 

[cmcgoun]

Yea I have the same problem, I bought mulch for the run and it smelled great for a day. Once is got wet it wouldnt stop stinking, it is awful!

 

[speckledhen]

Sorta smells like rotten potatoes? Yup. When we get lots of rain, we get that smell.

 

[crtrlovr]

the smell this year has been enough to gag a maggot....

incessant rain, standing water, rotting vegetation, poo/water runoff pooling in low places & turning a dark forest green that for whatever reason seems to be PARTICULARLY attractive as drinking water for chickens regardless of the # of clean waterers within easy reach, algae growing everywhere... icky, ucky, stinky, mud everywhere. I'll be SO glad when it dries out so I can have a load (or two, or three...) of sand hauled in and hopefully not have to deal with the Great Boot Sucking Mud Hole this fall.

 

[CedarRidgeChicks]

Thank goodness it isn't just me..I think our entire farm is a horrible, soured mess..everywhere I move the tractor within a few hours it is horrible along with mold!!..sigh..we complain when it's dry..we complain when it is wet..(Dear Lord, I am trying not to complain)..I bought lime and DE today..hope it helps with the souring and the flies..

I'm not going to complain..I'm not going to complain..I'm not going to complain.........

 

[patandchickens]

Yup, that can happen, it's one of the real disadvantages of an organic footing in your run.

Consider some of the solutions discussed in my fixing a muddy run page, link is below in my .sig.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

I had the same problem after it rained here for about a week straight. It didn't matter how much I raked out the pen, it still smelled horrible. I bought some sand from Lowes that was meant for kids' sandboxes. It was less than $4 a bag. I put that down and spread it around and it seems to have helped. Now that it's dry, my chicks have also enjoyed dustbathing in it. My thought was that this white sand wouldn't be as nasty when wet as the mud that is under it.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Nothing to do really until things dry out. I know it stinks, but it will everytime you get a hard rain. Little bit of DE will "help" but it just has to dry.

 

[augustmomx2]

Thanks for all of the info

Good to know its just not me...it of course rained last night & it smells once again

I'm heading to TSC today to get an outside waterer & will pick up some stall dry, since I can't find DE around here. Thanks again!