Sweet smell??? Normal???

[Half-a-dozen]

Hi everyone.
Have a question if you can answer it.
I have been using pine shavings in the coop for bedding. The coop does not stink per say (they have only been out there about two weeks now) but there is this sweet smelling odor. It is not strong and it does not knock you over. And it does not smell like amonia.
It is more outside in the run than inside the coop and I notice it more now that the rain has wet the run ground. I did rake it yesterday (the run) and in some spots did smell it more. I just can't figure it out if this is the droppings that smell or the bedding or maybe thier food????
Truly it's making me nuts because I am or was under the impression they are
to smell bad not Sweet!!!!

The smell was also noticed also when they were being kept in the garage (in the bin).

Is this a common "chicken" smell?
I have never had animals so have no idea as to what sents one might give off

If it is the worse smell I ever get from them, I can certainly handle that, I just want to make sure I am not doing anything wrong to hurt my babies or missing something????

 

[pegbo]

I know mine don't smell sweet!!!! Maybe something in their feed????

 

[Jsto]

I have a similar smell in my garage where the brooder is, although it's kind of sickeningly sweet. It doesn't knock you over, but it's also not exactly pleasant. It goes right away when I change the bedding, but I also can never smell it when I put my face down in the brooder or even in the shavings I've cleaned out. It kind of hangs above the brooder by the light. I figured it was normal, but now I'm curious if it's not as well!

 

[poppycat]

I know what you mean. The closest thing I can compare the smell in my coop to is peanut butter. No complaints, just not what I expected. I think that it has somthing to do with the pine shavings.

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Wow, that is exactly what I am talking about and yes, the light seems to kind of potentiate it but you can never really tell where it is coming from!!!

I guess I'd have to compare it w/ the peanut butter just a bit more of a sweetness to it. Maybe like a candy butter-lol
O.K. I'm reaching here- IT is very strange!!!!
However, just knowing I am not the only one w/ Odd things going on in my coop makes me feel better

Thanks all! We shall get to the bottom of this deep mystery!

 

[cookinmom]

I think it's just the smell of baby chickens. Their scent, ya know? That's just my theory. It doesn't stink, just smells kind of 'farmy'.

 

[Picco]

The bedding in my coop gets like this after it rains. The shavings and droppings mix with water and begin to compost. I think the sweet smell comes from the alcohol that is produced. I now spinkle sweet PDZ (stall refresher) or baking soda under the bedding before I put the new fresh litter in. It helps a bit but the litter around the door smells a bit after it rains still as that area gets the wettest.