Solitary chicken - need advice

[Pedro1962]

Okay, in a weeks time I will be the proud owner of a and a bunch of hens.

 

However, I have become increasingly concerned about the smell/flies issue that some omleteers have been reporting. As I have a long thin garden, I am worries that any smell with effect my relationship with my neighbours.

 

Could it just be last minute nerves, I ask myself?

 

I would be interested to hear from any members who have had or are having an issue with smell and/or flies.

 

If you have, have you tried any of the oft posted remedies? If so, which?

 

Just trying to find out if those that are using bokashi and/or garlic are still having a niffy problem.

[Redwing]

I use both for most of my flock however use neither in my table birds feed and they do smell, in saying that they eat a lot more so poo a lot more

 

With the rest I get a bit of a farmyard whiff when I open the sleeping quarters but not much else

 

One mistake I did make was to cover the run too closely ie: plastic panels all the way across the top and partway down the sides, in winter this was great but in this hot weather it made the run smell due to lack of air circulation! I have left the sunshades on but removed the plastic and everything is now fine

[wooky]

I use garlic powder and bokashi and I haven't noticed any significant whiffage. I do only have two chooks which helps but I find that cleaning the poop tray daily, scrubbing the coop weekly and hosing the rubber chippings every few days keeps niffs at bay.

 

The flies have been a bit of a pain this week as the garden is walled and south facing but I used citronella spray for the first time today and it made a huge difference.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I use both and don't notice a smell at all (except occasionally if I don't pick up great pongy dollops in the run ). I'm a bit slovenly and only clean the poo tray once a week and clean the run out every few months . I use Stalosan F and garden lime in the run when I do clean it out though.

[chick wiggle]

Definately use garlic powder and bokashi in their food, the difference is amazing. Also use citronella spray and stalosan f, no niffs here!

[Raina]

I don't use anything

 

 

I did try Garlic powder for 3 Weeks and they smelt terrible (can't describe what it smelt like but it was horrid)

 

 

So i stopped using it, within a week we had no smelly chicken poo/coop

 

 

But i do clean out the Eglu every 3 Days and the poo tray everyday (i use either washing up liquid or Zaflora(sp?) to clean the eglu )

[Ness3103]

I don't use anything

 

 

I did try Garlic powder for 3 Weeks and they smelt terrible (can't describe what it smelt like but it was horrid)

 

 

So i stopped using it, within a week we had no smelly chicken poo/coop

 

 

But i do clean out the Eglu every 3 Days and the poo tray everyday (i use either washing up liquid or Zaflora(sp?) to clean the eglu )

 

 

i've been using the garlic powder for nearly 3 weeks and mine smell awful too as you said can't describe the smell but it's not nice i'm going to leave it and see if there's an improvement. i've just ordered some citronella, lavender and eucalyptus oils so going to spray that around and see if it works.

[Henhathnofury]

The bran is miraculous...but I also find that the garlic powder works well. I am scrupulous about cleaning out...it's every day. I also poop scoop in the aviary.

 

I noticed how my new girls smelt when they came to us...it took a few weeks for them to smell more neutral.

 

Flies are a bloody nuisance, but I do use fly traps. Where do you but citronella oil? I've heard good things about it.........

[Chook n Boo Mum]

I got my citronella in Holland & Barrett yesterday, I'm about to mix & spray....just need to find a suitable spray !!

 

Sha x

[chickencam]

I have quite a sensitive nose and find that apart from the odd korma poo they don't smell. We have ours on a thick bark chipped area, which they are constantly turning over and they free range for a few hours a day. We have a north facing garden and their run is in the shade except in the middle of the day in high summer, so that may help I don't know.