Why do my chickens stink?

[galanie]

Mine only stink if they're wet. I love to bury my nose in the back of my hen's necks and smell their feathers! I just love nice bird smell.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
This is a very good point. I have noticed that my chicks smell a lot better with organic chick starter rather than regular. (Or maybe it is the poo that smells better?)

 

[Daolin]

Well heck I dunno, they all seem to be doing fine. I'm new to Chickens so maybe I'm just a bit paranoid, none of them died yet, they all are eating and drinking and sleeping, so I supose they are all fine.

 

[earthmama24]

I know this is an older post but for anyone browsing to try and find an answer for a similiar problem, I would like to direct you to the following post:

http://www.earthmama24.blogspot.com/2011/03/natural-treatment-of-infectious-coryza.html

I have dealt with this problem extensively using natural remedies and, as I state in the update, have had a healthy flock for some time now.

Hope this helps...EarthMama

 

[TroutsChicks]

I started my chickens out on dumber ( dumor .....love auto correct, left it cause that's how I feel about that feed )and change their feed because they started to smell...poo and them. Is their poo extra stinky? After I changed their feed the stink went away. I smell my wild chicken...she smells like chicken. Unless someone poos on her... Why do dogs feet smell like fritos? That's why I don't eat them! LoL

 

[azygous]

After you've ruled out or addressed the possibility of disease, bathing chickens is super easy and simple using children's bubble bath liquid, half a cap full in a gallon of warm water. There's no need to rinse using this. I usually do it on a warm day, towel dry, then let them air dry the rest of the way in the warm sun. Even here in the Colorado Rockies, we get a warm day like that occasionally during winter. Then everyone gets butt and feet tune-ups!

Good luck with figuring out what's behind the odor. There really is no more wonderful smell than a clean, warm chicken. Frito-smelling puppy toes may come in a close second, come to think of it.

 

[Sammyjo35]

Your chickens should smell like laundry that has been sitting in the sun to dry, when you bury your nose in their feathers.

I had a runt silkie once that smelled like poo. I don't know why. No one else smelled that way.

There is a respiratory disease called coryza that has a distinctive odor, but I have no experience with it.
http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page22.htm

Is the smell a "poo" smell or something different?

Just jumping on this old post as I am experiencing the same issue. I have a silkie who is tiny compared to the rest, her eggs are so small and she seems very frail but generally happy and active. She had a respiratory infection about 8-10 weeks ago and I thought she was done for. She pulled through but has recently developed a really bad smell. She stinks of poop but is clean. She even enjoys the odd warm bath. I just said to my husband the smell is just from her, everywhere else is clean! I don’t get it. my other hens don’t smell like her. And I’m gutted as she is my favourite girl, so sweet and loves company but is super stinky to enjoy a cuddle