Ana's flock Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I've got a colleague at work who has been asking me chicken related questions. Initially I though he was interested in keeping some, but it transpires that his neighbours have acquired 6 chooks. He asked me if chickens smell - to which I responded of course not! but their poo does - well, all poo smells, so it's not rocket science, but that chicken's pong is not more offensive that say, dogs' or cats'... and only if you get really close! Still, it seems his wife finds it particularly offensive and he would like to advise his neighbour of things to do to stop the scent from wafting into his garden. I told him I live in a built up area, my girls live directly on to grass (keep moving the cube around so that it doesn't get too bad), but I'm not too fussed about digging where the cube has been or anything. Our garden doesn't smell, the neighbours have not mentioned it either... What do you think could be the problem with this other flock? They live in a village, so I guess they would be used to the farm type smells of the country... Any advice on what I can respond to my colleague most welcome (but not rude comebacks... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertrum Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Tell him to plant roses along the fence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Tell him to plant roses along the fence. I like that answer Your colleague's wife sounds like she has a very sensitive nose. I can't say I have noticed any smell from my girls anywhere near the house. Obviously when I am picking up poo sometimes they are smelly, but as you say so is cat and dog poo. I always pick up daily after my dog and my girls to keep flies and smells at bay. Maybe your colleague could try a friendly approach and go round to his neighbours to have a look at her girls so he can see how they are being kept. He would of course have to make out he is interested in the girls and not that he is there to have a nose around. It is a difficult one as you can't expect someone to move their girls or get rid of them because you don't like the smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I'd agree that it's chicken poo that smells rather than the actual chicken (unless there's something wrong with the chicken). Maybe they're being kept close to the house, maybe they're not being cleaned out regularly, maybe droppings are accumulating in their run, maybe it's actually spilled food that's producing the pong? I'm a country dweller but I'm also garden proud, so I'm always cleaning up after my chickens and I know for sure that mine don't smell at all. However, I'm surrounded by fields of sheep and cows which come with their own "country scents", so who knows what's getting up the nose of your colleague's wife! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I can only smell my girls on a really hot day like today. But I would tell him to wait until they have smelt something then if it is too bad put some very smelly plants in their garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 garlic powder + bokashi bran in their feed should reduce any whiffiness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 A lot of the smell from a chicken run can be spilt food that has got wet and is rotting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I use bokashi bran and to be honest I haven't noticed a difference in the smell using that. The main thing that has reduced the smells for me has been changing over from woodchips in the run to rapport as it seems to soak up the poo and has a kind of lemon smell to it which is rather nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 I suspect that they are not being cleaned out regularly, and/or their run is damp. I only ever notice a smell from mine if cleaning is overdue : although I do also feed them garlic powder, because it reduces the slightly acidic smell. I stash all the cleaned-out droppings in a compost bin, well mixed with grass clippings, vegetable waste etc and the bin doesn't smell. It's true that rotting pellets, if they have got damp, will smell much much worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ana's flock Posted September 1, 2010 Author Share Posted September 1, 2010 Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I've passed them on. He's taken some notes whilst I was passing on your advice. He already has roses planted alongside the fence. Other thing the chooks do is to jump on the fence and then to his garden... of course, mine never did that when they were free-ranging! I suggested he might want to adopt some of the 'fallen fruit'... but I don't wish to encourage chicken rustling - deep down I think he quite likes them popping in, he mention them being little characters, it wouldn't surprise me if once the smell problem has been sorted he would end up getting some feathered fiends himself... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Well done a convert Welcome back where have you been? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little brown hen Posted September 1, 2010 Share Posted September 1, 2010 Stalostan F is good for nasty whiffs. I put some in the poo trays and sprinkle it around the run floor and it seems to do the job nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ana's flock Posted September 2, 2010 Author Share Posted September 2, 2010 I've been spinning like a woman possessed! I'll explain - although this is more appropriate for the craft forum: I got abducted by a spinning wheel. I've fallen for the charms of fleece... I learnt to spin in May and have not stopped - it's such an exciting and addictive activity... so I have not had so much time for the forum. But I'm back - at least nipping in and out during my work breaks. Hens still there, happy and producing eggs to keep my feet pedalling and my hands moving. Nice to be back - I feel like that knitting hen on Chicken Run... ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finger lickin good Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 A sprinkle of garden lime in the run once a week does the trick for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I have three lavender bushes in my front garden and I can smell them as I walk towards my house. Perhaps they could plant lavender. What is wrong with some people it's so nice to have country smells around. I live in a very built up area and would rather smell the animals than car fumes and frying from the chicken takeaway. My sister lives opposite a farm and her neighbour complains when a chicken escapes or the cows leave a mess in the road. The poor farmer has to go out and sweep up. The farm has been there for hundreds of years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laid in GB Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I was looking at the smell of chickens as being like the new neigbours howling dog! You get used to it after a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkBevBen Posted September 2, 2010 Share Posted September 2, 2010 I have three lavender bushes in my front garden and I can smell them as I walk towards my house. Perhaps they could plant lavender. What is wrong with some people it's so nice to have country smells around. I live in a very built up area and would rather smell the animals than car fumes and frying from the chicken takeaway. My sister lives opposite a farm and her neighbour complains when a chicken escapes or the cows leave a mess in the road. The poor farmer has to go out and sweep up. The farm has been there for hundreds of years. That's what I was going to suggest too Have to say though, not sure how his wife can so easily differentiate the smells of the country and the chickens! Let's hope they resolve her problem and get some lovely chickens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi-Hi Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 I've been using a mix of garlic and mint - either from Omlet shop or FlyteOF, and at first I thought it was just going to be a gimmick, but I now know that I wouldn't be without it! It is fantastic stuff. That and a sprinkle of StalosanF every now and then, and the job's done. Would like to give the Rapport a go though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
