How to reduce the smell of chickens outside? (In my backyard)

[pvchicken1]

Wondering how to have a no smell chicken coop and a chicken run. Should I have bedding in the run and clean it out regularly? Is there stuff to buy that can eliminate the odor? I live in the city and do not want the neighbors to get mad at me. All help is appriciated.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yes, clean it out to eliminate smell.

 

[Mrs. K]

How many, how big of an area? Smaller areas and more chickens make this a tougher problem.

I do have bedding in my run. DRY helps the best. Look at your drainage.

Throw scratch across the bedding, this will encourage the hens to dig it up, fluffing up the bedding, and breaking up the poops so that they are dry.

Mrs K

 

[DobieLover]

Wondering how to have a no smell chicken coop and a chicken run. Should I have bedding in the run and clean it out regularly? Is there stuff to buy that can eliminate the odor? I live in the city and do not want the neighbors to get mad at me. All help is appriciated.

Offer at least twice the minimum run space often sited; go for 20 sq ft per bird. Keep the entire setup on high ground, have a solid roof on the run and divert all water away from the run.
Put down a thick layer of wood chips and other dry organic material for them to scratch through.
Install poop boards in the coop, apply a thin layer of Sweet PDZ to them and scoop them every morning.
You will have practically no offensive odors this way.

 

[3KillerBs]

Lots and lots of dry, organic material as coop bedding and run litter, plenty of space, and generous ventilation.

Make sure that your chicken facility is not located in a low, wet area and that groundwater flows around it rather than through it.

 

[Acre4Me]

Dry. As mentioned above by all.

coop is where poop will be most concentrated as they poop while sleeping. So, some have poop boards snd scoop up the poop in the mornings to toss in garbage or compost.

coops often have wood shavings/chips, but one poster on BYC has used “coffee bedding” (use the search function if interested), and said it was amazing on killing the smell while smelling good.

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

I use wood chips for the paths around my home that the chickens like to walk (and poop) on. It helps keep the smell down tremendously.

 

[Pghelp]

Dry. As mentioned above by all.

coop is where poop will be most concentrated as they poop while sleeping. So, some have poop boards snd scoop up the poop in the mornings to toss in garbage or compost.

coops often have wood shavings/chips, but one poster on BYC has used “coffee bedding” (use the search function if interested), and said it was amazing on killing the smell while smelling good.

Yes, coffee chaff is available for free from most any coffee roaster. It absorbs the wet stuff almost like kitty litter and makes cleanup of the roost area so easy.

 

[pvchicken1]

I use wood chips for the paths around my home that the chickens like to walk (and poop) on. It helps keep the smell down tremendously.

I use wood chips too. Do you replace yours at a certain time? Do you think I should use hay?

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

I use wood chips too. Do you replace yours at a certain time? Do you think I should use hay?

I don't replace them, since the soil where I live is so shallow I just let them break down to make more soil and add fresh ones on top after it storms, or if it gets stinky then I will throw some fresh ones on top.