How to Get Rid of Chicken Odor

How to Get Rid of Chicken Odor

Backyard chickens should be a pleasant experience, not a smelly endeavor. But their natural waste can make their presence known when you'd really rather not smell them. Here's how to get rid of chicken odor should the need arise.

1. Consider the coop size versus the number of chickens it contains. If the chickens are kept inside the coop the majority of the time, each bird should have about eight square feet allotted to it. Free range chickens need less coop space, about four square feet apiece, since they spend much of their day out of doors.
2. Keep the chicken coop floor covered in clean litter, either fresh straw or wood chips. Don't use sawdust as it is bad for the birds' respiratory system.
3. Deep clean the chicken coop every three to six months, depending on how quickly it becomes smelly again. If your birds are inside the hen house all the time, cleaning the cage seasonally is ideal. For hens that spend more time outdoors, the chicken coop may need cleaning only twice a year.
4. Use vinegar or bleach to scrub the bare coop after it's cleaned to remove mildew, mold, or chicken droppings that are causing the bad smells.
5. Feed the chickens in a galvanized metal feed dish or pan, not on the floor where the feed will mix with droppings, attract pests and ferment.
6. Use a chicken waterer and not just a pan or open dish on the floor which is easily spilled or dirtied.
7. Make sure there is plenty of air circulation in the coop, to keep odors from building up.
8. Add screened openings at the top of the chicken coop walls if necessary to increase the air flow into the coop. We sure the roof covers the openings so that rain will not enter the coop.

By following these simple guidelines, you'll be able to get rid of chicken odor in your chicken coop and prevent the smell from coming back. Allowing chickens plenty of time to graze on fresh green grass and scratch through wooded areas is one of the best ways to keep the odor down as it allows the chickens to spread their droppings over a much larger area. In this way, the chicken waste becomes fertilizer for the ground and does not pile up and produce bad odors.

A large enough coop for the number of birds you keep is the other key factor in keeping their area clean and smelling fresh.