Q: I am hoping you can give me some good news regarding mitigating the smell rolling downhill from the chicken farm up the road. We moved to a small piece of land last year. Our next door neighbor has 30 cattle and we love them….but not so much the fellow up the road with the chicken farm.

As the new kids on the block we are not comfortable confronting them head on. As you know the smell can get very bad and we are looking for ways to passively filter it. Would planting a thick row of Leyland Cypress help the situation?

A: I think the Leylands would be a good idea. They might not physically block much odor but they will give you good psychological blockage….and that can be important.

Farmers don’t want to be bad neighbors, but they do want to use their land in accordance with local rules. Fortunately, there are ways to mitigate litter odors somewhat. I have publications that go into detail about poultry odor management.

Coexisting With Your Neighbors – A Poultry Farmer’s Guide

Odor Control at Poultry Facilities

Facts For County Planners – Zoning and Poultry Production

Nuisance Myths and Poultry Farming