The chickens have taken over my garage and I'm at my wits end--Advice wanted on damage control/odor

[SandyRiverChick]

Secondly, has anyone ever had 2 years worth of chickens in their garage and managed to successfully reclaim it after? Was your house permanently ruined?

My current house was abandoned for 2 years and it had animals + weed grown in the garage. The moisture damage had to be repaired and the smell because most garage floors are porous lasted for about a year but eventually went away.

 

[FunClucks]

Where in the world do you live? I live in North Alabama, and my chickens live year-round in an open-air covered coop/run combo. I brood in my non-climate controlled garage for a few months in the winter/early summer, but after that the garage is too hot for them. Chickens can live just fine down to -25F to -35F for standard chickens. I keep the door to the garage open a lot during the day when brooding, and they have sections of their brooders that are the same temperature as the outdoors, even when it's very cold out. They get acclimated to the outdoor temps quicker that way. They are happy in much colder temperatures than I thought they would be. Granted, I have standard fowl, and not silkies.

There are several articles in the Articles section that talk about brooding chicks in your run, and how to brood chicks outdoors. I would encourage you to look into that.

The way you are managing your chicks and your hatches and your brooding is not working for you. It's having a negative impact upon your life. Please take the steps necessary to return peace to your life. You will be much happier once your house doesn't smell like chickens.

Post pics of your shed, post pics of your garage, your coops and land, and we can help you troubleshoot and come up with ideas to improve your setup. I'm glad you reached out, I think folks on here can give you some really good ideas.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Where in the world do you live? I live in North Alabama, and my chickens live year-round in an open-air covered coop/run combo. I brood in my non-climate controlled garage for a few months in the winter/early summer, but after that the garage is too hot for them. Chickens can live just fine down to -25F to -35F for standard chickens. I keep the door to the garage open a lot during the day when brooding, and they have sections of their brooders that are the same temperature as the outdoors, even when it's very cold out. They get acclimated to the outdoor temps quicker that way. They are happy in much colder temperatures than I thought they would be. Granted, I have standard fowl, and not silkies.

There are several articles in the Articles section that talk about brooding chicks in your run, and how to brood chicks outdoors. I would encourage you to look into that.

The way you are managing your chicks and your hatches and your brooding is not working for you. It's having a negative impact upon your life. Please take the steps necessary to return peace to your life. You will be much happier once your house doesn't smell like chickens.

Post pics of your shed, post pics of your garage, your coops and land, and we can help you troubleshoot and come up with ideas to improve your setup. I'm glad you reached out, I think folks on here can give you some really good ideas.

Thank you for this. I have been brooding in MY sewing room for over a year now. Last bunch went out last week. I am done (with indoor brooding). We have another 3 (frizle EEs) coming end of month and I have told hubby he MUST figure out how to brood out in the coop, lordamercy. I will be doing the reading you suggested above; thank you so much.

Oh, and our chickens have stopped laying, LOL. That's a whole 'nother story, but I will say after all my reading I still can not figure out why. They free range, we have two GP's and if they are stressing them I can't tell the way they gang up on the dog's food everyday. Oh well, I'll keep feeding and cleaning up chicken poop and hopefully they will lay within the next few months. Most of them are a year old (except the batch that hatched end of May).

Have a real good weekend.

 

[bobbi-j]

Thank you for this. I have been brooding in MY sewing room for over a year now. Last bunch went out last week. I am done (with indoor brooding). We have another 3 (frizle EEs) coming end of month and I have told hubby he MUST figure out how to brood out in the coop, lordamercy. I will be doing the reading you suggested above; thank you so much.

Oh, and our chickens have stopped laying, LOL. That's a whole 'nother story, but I will say after all my reading I still can not figure out why. They free range, we have two GP's and if they are stressing them I can't tell the way they gang up on the dog's food everyday. Oh well, I'll keep feeding and cleaning up chicken poop and hopefully they will lay within the next few months. Most of them are a year old (except the batch that hatched end of May).

Have a real good weekend.

If they free range, it’s possible they have hidden nests somewhere. If it’s possible (as in, if you have a run attached to your coop so they aren’t too hot or crowded), keep them locked up for a few days to “reset” them. Another thing you could do is, let them out a few hours later than you usually do, and watch them. Mine will sprint towards their laying spot, but if they know I’m watching will start wandering aimlessly until they think I’m not paying attention. It’s pretty funny.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

Mine will sprint towards their laying spot, but if they know I’m watching will start wandering aimlessly until they think I’m not paying attention. It’s pretty funny.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

If they free range, it’s possible they have hidden nests somewhere. If it’s possible (as in, if you have a run attached to your coop so they aren’t too hot or crowded),

Actually, we have been getting like 3 eggs in their nests . Down from 19ish per day.

 

[FunClucks]

Actually, we have been getting like 3 eggs in their nests . Down from 19ish per day.

Hidden nests are the top cause of no eggs, from what I've read on here. Other options are, they may be starting to molt, they may be broody, or there may be a diet issue. Diet issue can often be fixed by eliminating treats and feeding a commercial chicken feed with increased protein (18-20%), but it really depends what their diet consists of, as to what may be lacking, and how to fix a diet issue - that's the common recommendation.

Most chickens will lay through their first winter and molt around 18 months, but I had one do it at 7 months (their first winter).

Based on what you've shared so far, hidden nest seems likely.

Or (heaven forbid), you may have egg eaters. There's usually some type of wet residue as evidence, but you have to find the spot they ate it at.

Good luck figuring it out!

 

[Iluveggers]

I am brooding my chicks in the coop and run to make integration easier. They are 2 weeks old. Highs are 80s, lows are 60s for now. I have a pop-up pet tent thing, and that is in the run, with a heat plate. They stay in it from about 8am-8pm. At night, when my broody takes her chicks in the coop, I move them from the tent into a dog crate in the coop with a separate heat plate and small feeder/waterer. The coop is secure. I have been hatching chicks since March, and did not want any more babies in the garage, so I figured out this arrangement and so far it is working great.