So many questions

rustymurphy

In the Brooder
Dec 15, 2016
98
6
31
Fairchild Wis
Anyone know how to keep my in house brooder smelling clean I change bedding two or three times a week I use pine shavings what can I do until they can go out the house
 
Anyone know how to keep my in house brooder smelling clean I change bedding two or three times a week I use pine shavings what can I do until they can go out the house

I brood inside, too, and can't wait until they can go outside. Like @redsoxs suggested, changing the bedding more often may help. Others prefer to brood outside (in a suitable setup) because of the astounding amount of dust chicks generate.

If they're more than a week old, you could also try fermented feed because that's been reported to help make poop smell less funky..but know that the cecals are just going to smell really bad.
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One of the key factors that leads to a smelly brooder is dampness -- the surface of your shavings can look clean and dry, but that layer beneath traps and holds moisture and that leads to STINK! The two common sources of moisture are the chicks' own waste and the water station the chicks have in the brooder. Even when you don't see obvious signs of spillage, it is often a major contributor to damp and smell. What sort of water station are you using, where is it located in the brooder and how is it secured? Another issue is crowding - the more space per bird the less the smell will accumulate -- a small area with lots of birds is going to be smellier than a large area with fewer birds -- how many chicks are you housing and what are the dimensions of the brooder? What are you feeding your chicks? Many report significant reduction in smell of waste by using fermented feeds. What is the ventilation for your brooder like?
 
I've raised in a plastic bin with pine shaving with a sprinkle of PDZ and we all know the chicks get shavings into everything! Last batch I tried using cheap potty paper & change daily. Oh I also have switched from heat lighting to MHP. FF does help with mushy poop & pasty butt however nothing helps with the smell of the cecal
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Potty paper works good until they're about a week old & start tearing & eating
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I've also tried the horizontal water nipples/plastic container which works GREAT however, it's advised to be used when chicks are about a week old. The reason I'm figuring is they then have the "strength" to work the nipple? Another lady I know uses the rabbit water bottle.

Wanted to find an alternative to pine shavings (chicks eat & get it everywhere) but after trying the potty pads, think next round will do the potty pads the first week or so, then switch to pine shavings with a sprinkle of PDZ and the horizontal water nipple waterer. Think that will work for me. We all try & find what works best for our individual needs.

PS....Ol Grey Mare is RIGHT! It's the moisture from water, poo & wet feed that stinks, the heat off the chicks and your heating method accelerates the smell.
 
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Pine shavings and let them outside if they are old enough even for a few hours!

Weather's warmer here though we do get alot of rain but had Hubby make me a "mobile run" for chicks...PVC frame work held at corner with bungie, chicken wire secured with zip ties, tarp & bird netting for top secured with small bungies to the chicken wire Light enough I can move as need.





 
Thanks I have 24two week old chicks in a 4x4 brooder they are the mini bantam chicks one light for heat 75watts I water is in a automatic waterer feed is chick starter that you can buy any where it is still winter here in Wis way to cold for the chicks out side don't want to out them with big hens as they are to young and not warm enough
 
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