Substrate for run?

[Kay Crowe]

My flock is free to roam my fenced backyard. They have a snug coop they visit briefly in the afternoon and only return at sundown to roost. They spend a good portion of the day in the 3-5' high crawlspace under my porch. The "walls" are lattice, providing shade, protection, and good airflow.
It's starting to smell.
I'm going to rake out what I can. I'm not sure about putting shavings or straw down under there though. I don't want to encourage mice and subsequently snakes near my birds. I also don't want the girls to randomly lay under the house either.
I just opened up the nest boxes in the coop this morning. They're getting ready to lay in the next few weeks. I put a wide, shallow flowerpot with straw and an easter egg in a side laying 55 gallon trash can near the doorway so they have an acceptable nest under the house that I can reach.
I'm claustrophobic and hate going under there.
All of that being said, what would be a good, easy-keeping way or substrate to use to cut down on the smell and flies?

 

[Chadsky]

theres various products available, do a search they will all come up, some are sweet pdz, stall fresh. is it dry under the porch? if its moist it will smell more,
just closing off to the chickens may be the best bet...

 

[Kay Crowe]

Thanks. It is always dry under there. It's on the SW corner of my house. The weather typically blows in from the NE, so they should be protected from weather even during the winter. I'm not sure I could close it off since they've dug their way in. I'd have to start pouring concrete!

 

[RedneckGurl]

One word - SAND. Dries out the poop when it hits it and promotes good drainage. Check out some of the threads on here about using sand in the coop and run. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work very well for under your porch.

 

[Kay Crowe]

Duh! Sand should work well under there. Now to find an over-sized kitty litter scoop...