How to keep duck pen from stinking

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll definitely try the fly traps of doom LOL. I really WANT to let the ducks out into the yard; I'm just afraid to. They are very skittish and they run away from me. I think I might try it this weekend because I found a secret weapon - frozen peas! They absolutely LOVE them.

 

[Luvducks]

I was worried about getting mine out too. Just make sure they can get back into the pen. Mine came out for a short time then waddled back to the pen. Now they stay out longer each time.

Have Fun!

 

[cawooduck]

I would recommend a layer of peagravel about 3" thick, the water will drain through it and you can wash the poo through it with a garden hose, it will keep things a little drier in the pen.

 

[Wifezilla]

I was also going to say, let them out and keep their pool out of the pen. We let our ducks out first thing in the morning. They return to the pen at dusk. They pretty much just sleep in there.

Same here. I have deep litter in the pen. It is covered so that helps. They have a pond in the yard. Occasionally I will get a whiff of duck stink, but it only takes a fresh layer of pine shavings to get that to go away. If that doesn't work, it is time to totally clear out the dirty shavings and start over.

As for the yard, it only takes me about 5 minutes to blast all the "duck bombs" with water and make them disintegrate in to the lawn.​

 

[SandyM]

My ducklings are almost 2 weeks old and have been in the coop for just over a week. I couldn't stand their stench in the house so out to the coop. They swim and eat outside of the coop - they are in an old King sized dog kennel. It's huge! But their coop stinks to Mars and back!! I washed the exterior of the pen yesterday - it's stone - and it was much better until I opened the coop door this morning. PHEW!!

I was going to put dried peppermint into their litter (flax bedding) but I'm worried they'll eat it and get all plugged up ... Suggestions??? Everyone talks about chicken coops smells. My chicken coop is glorious compared to the duck coop!!

 

[MakeshiftAcre]

I use deep litter and add a layer of wood shavings daily to keep the smell down. I tried adding fresh mint but it got wet and slimy in no time, increasing the problem, but the ducks did not eat any. I expect dried mint would work better.

 

[crycat]

The helpful gal that owns a local feed store suggested I use Lime in the coop to keep flies down -which I did- and a happy side effect was that it completely covered the smell of duck poop..

 

[Jammie]

How did you place the lime?

 

[Jammie]

how did you apply the lime...just spread it around?

 

[jennifleur]

Sweet PDZ, Stall fresh or Horse fresh. They are all the same thing. They sell it at feed stores in 40 LB bags.
It looks like large grains of white sand. It is a natural mineral zeolite. It doesn't break down and disappear like organic shavings or hay. It absorbs moisture helping with drainage and keeping the pen and any bedding dry. It absorbs ammonia and than releases it slowly as nitrogen. Great for garden and compost pile and will not harm ducks. Ammonia causes the smell and attracts flies. Fly lay eggs and breed in moist environments, drying out area reduces this. Gravel and Diatomatous earth would also help.