SeasideChick Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Hi, I am just about to embark on "chicken keeping" ... my chooks are coming in 2-3 weeks time ... BUT: my friends keep telling me that they will be smelly ... I tried to say they wouldn't be - I'll keep them clean. but no, they insist they have friends who have had chickens and they say, they are definitely SMELLY things ... or at least their poo is. Now I believe I've read somewhere on here that if you put garlic powder in their food, their poo doesn't smell ... ANY ADVICE ANYONE???? Thank you .... Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 You are right....garlic powder (from an equestrian shop....not Sainsbury's!) does the trick, as does Bokashi bran. A good clean out of the Eglu once a week and a mini tidy up mid week if necessary will also help. Go for it....don't listen to your friends!! They will be begging you for Eggs in a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 chickens themselves do not smell. I am the most squeamish person when it comes to poo/muck etc but I have completely suprised myself with the chickens. They do one occasional poo which is smelly, but the big hard ones are fine. I do a daily "poo pick" of their run (which I find quite theraputic ) with gloves on by the way! and if I can do that and cope - anyone can!! Keeping them clean is the key. Redmite powder in the eglu is fab - all minty and fresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Cleaning up after the chickens can't be as bad as cleaning up after a dog or emptying a cat litter tray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Cleaning up after the chickens can't be as bad as cleaning up after a dog or emptying a cat litter tray Good point!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Cleaning up after the chickens can't be as bad as cleaning up after a dog or emptying a cat litter tray Good point!! agree here too! example - dog was sick last night on back door mat = calls hubby to clean it up Chicken poo = no problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh sarah Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 a friend of mine who is not at all animal orientated said yesterday "they dont even smell do they" and i hadnt cleaned up go for it you wont regret it i remember my friends saying dont get chickens they smell and you will have rats. i havent got either yet sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 If you go into a barn full of chickens then yes, they do smell. But so would you if you were in one room all day with hundreds of others and never cleaned out! The only time mine smell is if they are overdue a clean out and I stick my head in the egg port (not very often that happens though Cleaning out I mean, I often stick my head in the egg port ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirkwood Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I clean up the house in the morning and check it during the day and when i am not at work i clean the run twice if not its at night when they go to bed. I also give the house and run a quick spray with a disenfectant called " My Little Friend" by Bob Martin. Not sure if this is ok but you can use it with bunnies so i figure its ok for choocks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I can smell a 'livestock' type smell from my back door if I put my mind to it but it's not unpleasant or overpowering. Not had them during the summer yet though! And compared to the last poster I'm very lazy - empty the poo tray a couple of times a week, move and replace the hemcore in the run about once every 6-8 weeks Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Their poo doesn't actually smell that unpleasant. Nothing like the dog, which still makes me heave sometimes. If you're not sure, is it possible to go visit someone who already has them? Or visit your local poultry centre if it's not too far away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeasideChick Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 Visiting someone is always a good idea ... I went to see a lady locally who has an Eglu Cube ... and do you know, I didn't think of it at the time, but I actually didn't smell anything! I'm not going to worry ... I've got two rabbits and their shed is a bit smelly when they are due for a clean ... they could poo for England !!! They use litter trays and fill them up!!!! No, I shan't be deterred ..... I already have my Eglu Cube which I must put together tomorrow ... Thanks for all your replies ... you are all so kind to reply! Will keep you updated when chooks have arrived ... Happy Hen Keeping! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayflower Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Hi Karen, I live just a few miles from you! We bought our green cube a month ago and collect our ex bats on the 15th March. What hens are you getting? I'm aiming to get into the habit of cleaning out the trays every morning and clean the cube once a week. I think if I get into good habits right from the start then there will not be a nasty smell. Only, as one person said a mild livestock smell which is natural. After all, our hens will smell US coming before they see us lol !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Or visit your local poultry centre if it's not too far away. Maybe not such a good idea - when I was looking round Thornes when we were about to get our hens I actually asked Carl if I could expect mine to smell as bad as their's did They don't Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 They hardly had any hybrids today when I went there, about 8 left - 200 birds and they've all gone in 2 weeks. I always thought of him as a Karl rather than a Carl - is it you who has a bit of a thing for him? I always deal with Frank - no such distractions there!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 They hardly had any hybrids today when I went there, about 8 left - 200 birds and they've all gone in 2 weeks. I went last week and they had about 20 magpies and silver nicks. Where on earth are they all going? Must be to amateurs as you would expect small holders to buy direct from the breeders?! He could indeed be a Karl - much more gravitas to it. I've got his business card somewhere I'll try to find it and find out! I need to speak to Frank - I want him to talk to my gardening club - but I always go on the wrong day (even though they've told me lots of times when he's there!) Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Oh i was going to Thornes on Saturday see what they had, maybe not now. Am off to Cambridge Poultry too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeasideChick Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Dear Mayflower, Ah ... it's nice to know there's another chicken keeper near me!! Where abouts are you?? I am right on the Bournemouth/Poole border . I've ordered a RED cube as I've already got so much green in the garden. Am going to start building it in a minute .. I am getting hybrid chickens .... was going to get Light Sussex but decided my real reason for getting chooks was for eggs, so i ought to get hens that will lay the most eggs. I am getting 3 rhode island crosses ... they are meant to be very friendly and should lay 300 eggs per year. I have pre-ordered them and should be getting them around 20th March .... can't wait!!! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester_H Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I've ordered a RED cube as I've already got so much green in the garden. Red is by far the best colour. Some on here disagree but they're just plain wrong !! It will make a nice feature as well as a nice home for your girls. Enjoy. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeasideChick Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Aw .. thanks Hazel - I'm glad you like the red as much as me!!! Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayflower Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Hi Karen, I live just 4 miles from Christchurch. Rhode Island Red crosses sound lovely. Yes, I've heard they are very good egg layers. The red cube will look great in a very green garden. Our garden is very small. However, we have waste land outside the back gate that I have permission to grow my veg. So when I am out there the hens can free range and help fertilize the soil!!. Good luck with all your plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baby bears mum Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Ooh Karl sounds much more European somehow - sorry I digress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...