stinky, stinky, stinky!!!

[jeanne25]

We have 7, 16-18 weeks old pullets, and we are totally new to all of this. I ordered a cute little coop and run online that said it was big enough for "6-8+ chickens." We got 8, 4 week old chicks, figuring we might lose one or two.
Well, as I'm sure you all are well aware, that chicks grow really fast!!

We put them outside in their new cute little coop and run and within a few weeks it was OBVIOUS that this coop and run are the perfect size for 2 maybe 3 chickens...at the most!!!
So, after much cruising around BYC's, looking at pictures and reading about building a coop, we set off to build a new coop and run for our girls.
It is taking us longer than expected because we have had so much rain since we started, and we can only work on the coop on the weekends.
In the meantime, we made a temporary run attached to the original run, just to give them more room to move around. The problem is the smell. It's awful! I can't get in to clean the run because it is chicken wire stapled to the fence, with no way in or out except thru the coop/run. I can and do clean the coop, but that doesn't stink. It's the run. And boy, when it rains, it's really bad!
I sprinkle DE regularly on everything. I sprinkle peat moss to help absorb the wetness. What else can I do?
The new coop and run won't be ready for at least 2-3 more weeks.
Any advice?
I'll be able to walk into the new coop/run, and will be able to clean it. But what can I do now?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give us!

 

[MarinMama]

I wish I had some good advice...the only thing I might add is to keep shavings dry. When my brooder or coop got too wet, that is when it would smell...I just turn the litter/shavings when this happens. You might want to consider putting eater in the run to help keep coup dry.

It is a bummer that the coop makers misrepresent the number of chickens the coops can house. I almost bought one online that said it would hold 4-5 regular chickens. When I went to see the coop in person I realized it wouldn't even hold 4-5 bantams. As new chicken owner we really rely on the coop manufacturers to be honest about the their product.

 

[saladin]

With no more chickens than you have: at the ages you have, I can't imagine it smelling bad.

Good it be that you are just not use to how chicks smell? What you think is 'really bad' would be normal to those of us that keep birds? Just asking.


If you put down pulverized lime in the run and then put some sand on that it should help.

Pray for dry weather??????????

 

[welasharon]

Throw a tarp over the top to keep the rain out and you can also throw sand in there. I love my sand but it needs to be covered. Wet poop = stinky poop.

 

[southerndesert]

Chickens stink and the more ya get the more they stink unfortunately especially in wet environments. In Illinois many years back we would shovel out the top 3 inches or so and replace the sand a few times a year and that helped a little, but over the years you get used to it. Here in AZ the issue is near gone as long as I rake up poop regularly from the run, heck it is bone dry in just a few minutes this time of year....

 

[JodyJo]

surely you can get a small whisk broom or something in there to clean it out? Remove everything, put in new shavings...and yes, cover it with a tarp to keep it dry...they don't want to get wet either...

 

[saladin]

Quote:
'they don't want to get wet either.........'


I sure wish you'd have shown up at my place around 45 years ago because I must have the most stupid chickens on the planet! They will be out in rain, sleet, snow, hail,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, everything except excessive heat, then they find the shade.

 

[Lollipop]

DE is TOTALY USELESS when wet. You`re wasting your money. When the weather eases up on you a little, sprinkle some lime on the soil and let the chickens mix it in. Lime will neutralize the smell.........Pop

 

[Nicole01]

I barely smell the chickens and we built the coop right inside our garage. I also use DE and it helps a lot. I use pine chips in the coop and I take a litter box scooper and clean the poop out first thing in the morning and through out the day when I visit them. I rake the run once week and wash out the grassy parts after raking. Our run is 1/2 sand and 1/2 grass. Pretty soon it will be all sand and dirt. When they scratch the sand, the poop gets buried pretty well. I've been feeding and keeping the waterer outside for the time being.

 

[farmerinKC]

If your run is on grass and it is raining-it will soon be mud-wet poop and smell! I went through that. We had planned on having a coop/tractor to move around the yard. We quickly learn we were going to run out of yard and the smell was bad! We have now made it stationary with sand in the run-it's much better. I do sprinkle some DE in it about every other day and I scoop it every morning. Also, we covered the run-there was no cover before-except under the coop. Hope this helps.