If you're raising backyard chickens and have a chicken coop, then you are probably familiar with the smell of chicken manure.
It's not pleasant, is it?!
Don't despair, this unpleasant odor can be difficult to get rid of, but with a little effort, it is possible!
In this article, I'm going to explain some methods and tips for how to get rid of chicken manure smell so you can have your coop and yard smelling as fresh as a summer's breeze!
Jump to:
- How to Get Rid of Chicken Manure Smell: 4 Methods
- Ventilation
- Manure Management
- Cleaning
- Soap Scrubbing and Make a Fresh Start
- Tips for Reducing the Smell of Chicken Manure and Poop
- Feed Your Chickens a Balanced Diet
- Collect Chicken Poop Regularly
- Use Lime Powder
- Place Charcoal Near the Coop
- Plant Nice Smelling Herbs
- In Summary
How to Get Rid of Chicken Manure Smell: 4 Methods
There are a few different methods you can use to get rid of the chicken manure smell.
I'm going to list them below, but before I do, I want to mention that it's important to remember that these methods will only work if you're taking steps to properly manage your chicken manure!
Ventilation
The most important thing you can do to get rid of the smell is to provide proper ventilation in your coop and yard.
Make sure there are plenty of windows and/or vents and keep them open as much as possible. Fresh air is key in keeping the smell at bay!
It might be worse at first as the smell can travel further, but in combination with reducing the strength of the smell, it's a key piece of the puzzle.
Manure Management
As I mentioned before, it's important to manage your chicken manure properly if you want to avoid bad smells.
When using it in your yard, make sure you're spreading the manure out and allowing it to dry properly before covering it with soil.
In terms of keeping your chicken's bedding from ponging too strongly, you'll have to start cleaning out their bedding more often.
Cleaning
For the most part, the smell related to your chickens is going to relate to how clean your chickens' living areas are.
Regularly sweep and mop up any spilled manure and poop, and take care to clean any feeders or water dishes regularly. Dirty surroundings will only contribute to the smell!
How often you clean out the bedding in your coop depends on the number of chickens you have and the size of the coop.
At a minimum, you should be cleaning out the surface of their bedding once a week. Going deeper into the bedding at least once a month.
Related - Please read this post for the dangers when cleaning out a chicken coop!
Soap Scrubbing and Make a Fresh Start
If all else fails, you can try scrubbing your coop and yard down with soap and water anywhere there is a sign that your chickens have been.
Sometimes you just have to start afresh with a clean, odor-free coop and run now you know how to better manage the odors it should stay smelling fresher.
Tips for Reducing the Smell of Chicken Manure and Poop
In addition to following the methods listed above, here are a few tips that can help you reduce the chicken manure smell:
Feed Your Chickens a Balanced Diet
I've read a number of accounts that state a healthy diet will help keep your chickens' manure from smelling as bad.
Certainly, if you're helping them avoid diarrhea on a regular basis, this is going to make a huge difference.
Make sure your chickens are getting plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet along with a good formulated feed and stay away from any junk foods.
Collect Chicken Poop Regularly
This may seem like an obvious one, but if you don't collect the chicken manure on a regular basis, it will start to smell!
The worse the smell is, the more often you should scoop it up. If it becomes too much of a chore, maybe you have too many chickens?
Use Lime Powder
Lime powder is commonly used on farms, homesteads, and other places where there are various animals creating a foul odor.
It's very effective at neutralizing foul odors, and it's also relatively inexpensive and easy to use.
If your chicken manure is really smelly, you can try sprinkling some lime over it to help reduce the odor.
Place Charcoal Near the Coop
Another way to reduce the smell is by placing grilling or activated charcoal near your coop or the source of the smell.
This isn't just an old wives tale, I know a lot of people who use charcoal to neutralize odors and they swear by it.
It's so effective because activated charcoal has gone through a chemical or heat treatment and is extremely porous.
This enables it to absorb smells and neutralize them instead of just trying to mask or overpower the odor.
Plant Nice Smelling Herbs
Planting some nice aromatic herbs is always a win-win. You get a nice smelling yard, and you can also lessen that awful chicken poop smell!
The best part is that there is a long list of herbs that will do the trick, too, so you can choose a scent that you enjoy.
Some of the herbs commonly used for their aromatic properties are; lemon verbena, mint, lavender, fennel, and rosemary.
Just be prepared for your chickens to eat the herbs if they have access to them!
Related - These tips on how to stop chickens from destroying grass might come in handy!
In Summary
As you can see, there are a few different things you can do to get rid of that chicken manure smell.
By following some or a combination of these methods and tips, I'm sure you'll be able to keep your coop and yard smelling fresh!
