kaylis1980 Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 "ugh it smells like a farmyard" etc etc. is wearing me a bit thin, what can i do????? please help me hes wearing me out every day is a battle and we have only had them a month- i feel like giving up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I had the same from OH. I upped the amount of garlic I gave them, gave the run a massive clear out and replaced woodchips with 10 bales of Easibed which smells lovely. I set up two fly traps, poo pick every day and . . . . and then I ordered a new eglu and four new chooks! He can't complain now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Don't give up . There is a way . Lots of garlic powder Lots of bokashi bran Citronella in the poo tray (and I suppose in the run too if you're desperate!) Hemcore Stalosan F when you clean out the run Garden lime ditto (don't know if that helps with smell though ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 the key is to keep on top of it. I poo pick daily and a couple sprays of a citronella/eucalyptus oil/water to make it smell nice and keep the flies away Stalosan f is good on clean out days to sprinkle in the run before you replace your new bedding Aubiose/hemcore/easibed type bedding is excellent in the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Keep everything as dry as possible too. I find that the run only gets smelly if things get wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Ooh, yes, corrugated plastic sheeting, how could I have forgotten? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Ooh, yes, corrugated plastic sheeting, how could I have forgotten? mmm, what does that look like ANH? It sounds a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 My hubby hasn't actually complained about any smells (oddly enough as he complains about most things ) but-every time there are a few flies about he asks if they are coming in because of the hens I tell him that they must be as I'd never seen a fly in the house till the chickens came! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keanie Bean Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 It's not just because of the chickens, it's the weather as well. We had flies last year and we didnt even have chickens then. The chickens eat the flies in my house so they actually help. It sounds as if he's got a dose of the Victor Meldrews, mine does that every now and again The citronella can be burnt in the form of joss sticks in the garden, or you can get some of the big garden candles as well. They keep the mozzies at bay too. Sarah.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaylis1980 Posted July 2, 2008 Author Share Posted July 2, 2008 thanks everyone for the replys- i have chipped bark down there at the moment, so i am thinking that could be the first thing to change... and the citronella- what form does that come in??? the oil?? how do i use it and how much?? i use garlic, but i read only a teaspoon for a grub full? that doesnt seem very much to me? i dont use bokashi bran yet as wanted to give the garlic a go. i think hubby was standing outside when one of my chooks did a ENORMOUS curry poo which covered an entire paving slab- and the smell wafted over... that hasnt helped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Oh dear - those curry poos are very pongy aren't they? Try some citronell essential oil - 10 drops added to a spray bottle of water (can also add a few drops of tea tree or eucalyptus as well) and give everything a good spray. I think the bark chips can get whiffy as well - do try aubiose or hemcore, definiely sweeter smelling for longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 I put a scoop of garlic in per Grub, which is more like a tablespoonful. I'd try adding two teaspoons, then three etc until you find it's working - it won't do them any harm to have a bit more than usual. I reckon changing the bark chips for hemcore/aubiose/Easibed would help as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted July 2, 2008 Share Posted July 2, 2008 Lock the back door and hide the key to stop him going out in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I reckon changing the bark chips for hemcore/aubiose/Easibed would help as well. I agree with this. You will need a cover on the run though, to stop it getting wet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 And let them free range a lot if you can: means the poos are more dispersed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchlayer Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Thanks for all these good ideas. My run is next to patio so I can see them when having a quick coffee and when the wind is in the wrong direction it can be a bit wiffy. I think I need to pick up the poo in the run too, I do it in the house (their house ) everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Don't use bark chips - wood chips are OK, but not bark chips... they smell... they're slimy... they look ugly.... and there are always stories of them contaiing fungal spores etc (don't know how bad that is really though). I think waht I'm saying is that I don't like them so no-one else should either... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 When we first got ours I did put some garlic powder in with the pellets and apple cider vinegar in the water. Obviously not enough because the run did pong and there were lots of flies around (hence flystrike panic for me). The next day I upped the garlic and added a little bokashi. Certainly reduced the pong - in fact couldn't smell a thing, although the flies were only attracted to the poos that had been s"Ooops, word censored!"ed up by me and there were little damp s"Ooops, word censored!"ings left on the grass. I poo pick every day, and yesterday they were allowed into a bigger area. The flies have all but gone - but then it did rain a bit yesterday. In the poo trays on top of newspaper sheets I have a couple of handfuls of aubiose, shredded paper, bokashi and a liberal sprinkling of red mite powder - it smells so nice in there (its the eucalyptus in the powder that does it for me). I gather there is some citrus oil in the aubiose that helps. My poor hens - such a lot of perfume to assault their noses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Mine are on a thick layer os bark chips on soil and we have never had a smell problem except the 'curry' poos when first done Have you had any eggs yet? maybe that will change his mind, so long as he doesn't see one with poo on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I poop pick their free range area daily to reduce smells (although the curry type poos will alway honk). In the run I find an inch of Auboise on the ground helps soak up poos and reduce smell. Need a run cover. I change it once a month. Worst smelly days are warm, wet drizzly days. A bit of warm rain makes it smell a touch farmyardy but not too bad. I use loads of Garlic Powder in their feed and I just upped it gradually over time to make sure they don't turn their beaks up at the food. For flies (rather than poo smell) a put 2 drops of citronella oil in the poo tray. Or you could put some on kitchen roll tucked high up under the run cover where they can't eat it. I get it online from Neph. http://www.neph-aromatics.co.uk/essential_c.htm#citronella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I was worried because there seems to be so many flies around this year (I don't think I can stomach the Flitrap and was worried that the neighbours would complain but my mum said she has loads of flies in her garden and she doesn't have any pets! I found that having straw in the nesting box really made it smell farmyardy. I've tried shredded paper, didn't like that because it wafts around everywhere. I'm now trying auboise. I have found that I don't really smell them anymore, which is handy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Thanks for the link Hen Watch, just got 50ml of citronella for £3.99 delivered, bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jomaxsmith Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 I get it online from Neph.http://www.neph-aromatics.co.uk/essential_c.htm#citronella Thanks for that - paid with Paypal, like getting it for free The Bark issue is that the white threads you see on the bark is Botulism which can cause paralysis and death in chickens. I was told this by an expert at my local poultry centre. Unfortunately I've been unable to get woodchip locally for my run so have had to use bark. Hopefully by the winter I'll be able to find some woodchip. Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yolky Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Perhaps you could trade the husband in for a cube Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adeandsu Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Hi all Been away a while (happily getting on with chicken-keeping) but I'm afraid that as the chicken-mad husband (with a slightly more sceptical wife) I just had to click on this subject I was just wondering why everyone who uses Aubiose/Hemcore in their runs was saying that you must have the run fully covered ... ? We've used Aubiose for about 6 months now, with just the standard rain cover, and haven't had any problems. Ade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
