Benjamin_Flint Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 (edited) Hello Everyone, hope you have had a lovely christmas and a fantastic new year, seems so far away now doesnt it? Well anyway my mum for years has said "no" to me having chickens but her friends recently had them and when she goes there she really enjoys watching them BUT she still tels me we can't have them mainly she says because they smell. we haven't got the smallest of gardens neither so it wouldn't be a problem to house them. Can everyone try and write a reply to this so I can show her from the people that actually do have Chickens, sorry to be a pain guys but i'm DESPERATE for them, waited ages now Take Care from this wind everyone, and i do hope everyones chickens are doing ok and they've battened down the hatches, hehe Ben x Edited January 21, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 welcome Ben ... can I assure you, chickens don't smell! Their POO sometimes smells, but only if you leave it lying around (which, of course, you won't do!) There are two really, really good things that help prevent smells from the Eglu. Number 1 - feed your chooks garlic powder. It sounds weird, but it really works - the poo hardly smells at all, not even of garlic. Number 2 - buy aubiose or hemcore to put in the run (it's a sort of straw). You get it from places that sell stuff for horses, as it's used for bedding - one bale will last ages, and it's only about £7 so it isn't expensive. It gives the hens something to scratch around in, keeps the floor of their run dry, and it soaks up poo like magic. Then you just rake it out and compost it every so often. Remind your mum how lovely freshly-laid eggs are, and how marvellous chickens are at eating bugs, slugs and snails. And there'd be lots of lovely organic compost to dig into the garden, too! I hope that helps, let us know how you get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 our girls honked to high heaven when we got them and we thought, uh oh! but they'd been confined to little cages with hundreds, if not thousands, of chickens all around them, they're ex battery hens. Once we'd had them a few days and they'd been exposed to fresh air and had some garlic powder mixed into to their food, they (or their poops) didn't smell at all, huge relief! As long as you maintain a good cleaning regime; we remove poo from the coop daily which takes 5-10 minutes and give the coop and run a thorough clean once a month, then smells shouldn't be an issue. I find cleaning the coop is a pleasure (as long as it's not chucking it down) as the poo doesn't smell and it gives me a chance to chat to the girls, who usually come in to help and to see what I'm doing! Chickens are brilliant, you gotta get some mum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Flint Posted January 21, 2008 Author Share Posted January 21, 2008 Thank you for your quick reply Olly, thats a good idea about the hemcore, will remind her about lovely organic soil in the morning. Keep buying Practical Poultry Magazine and sort of placing it around in certain areas like if she's in the kitchen leaving it on the top! hehehe Cheers again Olly Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudgley Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Chickens make wonderful pets & the fresh eggs are just fantastic. Of course poo smells a little bit, all poo smells a bit but as long as they are cleaned out on a regular basis, you will not notice any smell. Also the more chickens you have, the more poo you'll have, but as long as you are hygenic, no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisnrob Posted January 21, 2008 Share Posted January 21, 2008 Just wanted to agree with what everyone else has said. If you clean them out regularly (we empty the poo tray a couple of times a week) then there's not really any smell at all. The Hemcore/Aubiose is very absorbent and in the summer we add a few drops of citronella oil every time we clean out the poo tray - it's a lovely smell and keeps the flies away. The advantages of keeping chickens far outweigh the slight aroma your occasionally get! Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Yep...ditto to all the above. Another tip.....put a bit of Bokashi bran in with their food....that also stops any pongy poos. Also, if you sprinkle a bit of GARDEN lime (not builders lime)around it will sweeten the ground and counteract any whiffs. They only smell if you let them. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I agree with everyone else but will add my opinion for your mum to read . Chicken poo does not smell if you: empty the poo tray at least weeklygive them garlic powder in their fooduse hemcore in the runsprinkle bokashi bran in the poo tray (and they can eat some too!)put a few drops of citronella and/or eucalyptus in the poo tray And chickens themselves don't smell in the least - they are clean, fluffy and very cuddly . Other benefits include: They only take a couple of minutes a day & half an hour at the w/e to look afterThe chicken poo/hemcore makes brilliant compostThey are very entertaining to watchThey provide lovely fresh eggsThey are great at scarifying the lawnThey eat slugs (Do you think I've persuaded her yet ?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffie Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Just to add think it's great for Children to have such a keen interest in chickens and helps them understand where their food comes from. So educational. Sitting in doors watching tv or out with the girls, know what I think is best BBx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I agree with everyone elses' comments: they will only smell if you don't keep the coop clean or if you overcrowd them.... Buffie - I think the line "watching TV or out with the girls" could be misinterpreted by mother of teenage son, actually.... ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina C Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Splash out £10 and send her to an omlet 'Hen Party'. She will be hooked. She can see how easy it is to clean out an eglu too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 feed your chooks garlic powder. It sounds weird, but it really works - the poo hardly smells at all, not even of garlic Is that right Olly? The reason I ask, is that I'm intolerant of garlic and even the smell of it makes me want to puke, but if it really doesn't make the girls smell of garlic, I might try it. I've also already decided to get some bokashi bran. Good luck with persuading your mum, Ben. I'm sure that, as a brilliant mum, she'll want to encourage your interest in free-range eggs and responsible pet-keeping, not forgetting the wonderful compost that can be lavished on the garden - so eco-friendly too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Yep, garlic powder and Hemcore = no smell, (coupled with good housekeeping)! Our Chickens are near the patio and we don't have any smell at all. In case you're wondering, Garlic doesn't taint the eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 absolutely true, it stops the poo smelling almost entirely, but the chickens (and eggs) don't seem to smell of garlic either! Weird but wonderful. Er - one word of warning though, if the smell of garlic makes you then you won't enjoy the smell of this powdered stuff as you mix it into the pellets! It's quite strong. I still recommend it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin_Flint Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 Guys, I am now going to print all of your replies off and take them to her and say look, all these people love chickens,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and pause and ask the big question? Can we have some too? Will keep you all posted on the outcome, thanks for your replies you guys are great Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I'm interested to see what she says! Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chili Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 OK - can somebody please tell me what bokashi bran is please Chili xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Best of luck Ben! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I don't use garlic powder as my girls wouldn't touch their mash if it was in there. Instead, I use layers mash with bokashi bran. This also neutralises the poos. Our girls are by the patio and we also have no smells. For more info on bokashi, see the wiggly wigglers website (sorry, I don't know how to do links.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Hi Ben. We are in our 2nd year of chicken keeping and it is fantastic. They are really easy to look after, they make us laugh as they are very entertaining and they reward you with lovely fresh eggs - the best you have ever tasted. As long as you clean them out regularly (which im sure you would ) there is no smell. In my opinion they are much easier to keep than a dog or rabbit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 Thanks Olly. I'll give it some serious thought. *wonders if it's possible to mix up feed with peg on nose* Good luck with the campaign Ben! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I don't use garlic powder as my girls wouldn't touch their mash if it was in there. Instead, I use layers mash with bokashi bran. This also neutralises the poos. Our girls are by the patio and we also have no smells. For more info on bokashi, see the wiggly wigglers website (sorry, I don't know how to do links.) Here you are **Wiggly Wigglers** Bokashi bran is very good for keeping any whiffs at bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
