Summer Heat + Chicken poop + dirt run = eeewwwww! Stinky!

[TheFreundFlock]

Ok, so I hope this title caught your eye because I need help!

My girls had free range to the entire 1 acre yard, but they just loved to sit on my back porch and look in my window at what we were doing. They would then poop on the back porch. This drove my hubby crazy!

I agreed to put them in a run. It is a big run, taking up my entire back 20 feet wide x 124 feet long x 8 feet high.

Their was grass in their, but the girls have ripped it up, my question is WHAT SHOULD I PUT DOWN ON THE RUN FLOOR?

I use D.E. to help, but as soon as it rains that is gone. I also clean the run weekly, raking out feathers and what ever dried up poop their is. But I am just worried that when Texas heat kicks in that my yard is going to stink to high heaven because I have nothing on that run ground besides dirt!

PLEASE HELP!!!

Thank you!

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Sand, gravel, anything porous that can be hosed I would think would keep the smell to a minimum.

 

[patandchickens]

See the "fix a muddy run" link in my .sig below for discussion fo this subject (I know the title might not sound like it applies to you, but it does, honest

)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[BankerJohn]

I live in Florida and have almost daily afternoon thunder showers in the summer. Drainage is a 'must' to keep my floor dry, keep smells down and disease breeding moisture to an absolute minimum. Others will have their own opinion. Here is my $0.02

1) Lay a barrier of chicken wire. 2) Cover with 3-6" of 1/4" screened rock from a local quarry (I paid less than $25 for over 3000lbs, enough to cover 6'X15'x 6" deep). 3) cover rock with landscape fabric from local HomeDepot/Lowes/Nursery type store. 4) Cover landscape fabric with 3-4" of sand (again, I paid less than $18 at local quarry for the sand).

The results before landscape fabric and sand:

The results:
An absolutely dry floor in the run.
A VERY easy method to clean up to keep smells to a minimum. (less than 5 minutes to rakes and scoop the poo from the sand floor (think kitty litter scoop))
An endless supply of grit
A natural sand dusting area
A floor that exposes excess food pellets & crumbles for easy clean up by pecking chickens. (reduced food waste)
Did I mention a dry floor? Did I mention grealy reduced smells?

Good luck and post pics of your before and after so others can learn from your experiences.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Sweet PDZ does wonders. I prefer the granular form.

 

[TheFreundFlock]

Quote:
What is that pipe in your run? BTW I love your idea! I do not have any problems with draining seeing the run is on a hill, just bare dirt+ Texas humidity= stinky zone that fly's love

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I hauled in 5,600lbs of sand. I LOVE it. I don't have covered runs (yet) but it does the trick. No more mud, no more stink. I rake it every now and then and I'll probably have to add some more sand in a few years. The BEST part--$17.60 per 2,300lbs. The bad part, I had to shovel it out of the truck myself.

 

[Kriquet]

Just wanted to add my $0.02 - I originally had a sand run - it was great UNTIL Stella (Easter egger) decided that sand was pretty tasty! So much so that she proceeded to impact herself not once, not twice, but THREE times! DH and I are both vets so we did two crop surgeries but I refuse to do 3 - so now I'm just keeping an eye on her - doing supportive care as she works to rid herself of the current glob o' gunk! We tried sod - just wanted something for a little while - and that was gone in about a week - so we are back to a mix of dirt/sand. Just sayin'.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
True...I have feeders in my coop for each section...I do occasionally sprinkle the run with wheat or cracked corn to keep it raked up. They LOVE to dust-bathe in it, too...

 

[kickinchicken]

On the dry days, add Sweet PDZ. I used that at my doggy daycare and I also will be using it at home in our hen & dog runs. It loses effectiveness when it rains but I figure if I put it in the runs when its dry out, this will tremendously help with the smell. You should smell the dog area. UGH! Two 70# males with mulch and grass and dirt. The ammonia is horrible on the dry hot days, and we are in Rhode Island! I read their site and for the initial treatment I will put a heavy layer in the dog run, let it sit for a day or two then rake it up. Its supposed to absorb the smell and dry out the ground. I think reapplying weekly to both areas will keep things at a minimum. My hens are only 2 months old and peeee-eeeewwww! The Sweet PDZ is a great bug repellent as it dries out anything that hits it. Oh, and its safe for the hens and dogs to eat, its non-toxic! I have read that people use this instead of DE. Worth a try!