Baby chicks brooding

[CudasChicks]

Hello! I just bought my 1st two chicks and wanted to know if anyone had some tips on keeping pine chips out of their water and also how often to change bedding? They are in a 16"x21" size living space and the Hatcher said 1x a week yet in just one day seems like a lot of poop! Also my water container is a small continuous one bought especially for brooding pens! Thank you!

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

Raise your waterer up on something...an over turned small plate, a small box or something you can make steps out of so they can climb up to the water. But just get the water up off the floor.

As for cleaning the brooder, the more you clean it, the less likely they are going to contract coccidiosis. This can be a very serious life threatening issue and is caused from them coming into contact with way too much poop. So clean it as often as you can. Keep it as clean and dry as possible. I raise all my birds on wire. This allows the poop to fall through the wire and they don't come into much contact with it at all. Much more sanitary than bedding for chicks.

Enjoy your new babies! And we do welcome you to our flock!

 

[CudasChicks]

Thank you! I did put water on a block and raised it but still they pollute it! They both sit in their feed also and that sits up as high as possible but still where they can reach it! I am not sure I understand the wire, are you saying no bedding and wouldn't their tiny feet fall through it or get caught? Please help! I don't want my babies getting sick!

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

TwoCrows gave you good advice. However, at least from my past experience, there is basically nothing you can do to keep all shavings/bedding out of waterers.

 

[CudasChicks]

Thank you! Does the savings have to cover the whole container or can I put to one side and feed and water on the other to avoid some of the mess? I know I may be over thinking this! Such a worried new Momma! Lol

 

[TwoCrows]

Here is what the wire looks like. I have 1/4 inch wire over top 1/2 inch in the first two pics. Then in the last pic, they have grown enough to be on half inch. This is hardware cloth...





See how I put a towel under the water? Keeps it up high enough they can't poop in it. I use pvc sliced about 2 inches high to support the hardware cloth. About 10 sliced pieces of pvc under the hardware cloth.

Hope this helps.

 

[CudasChicks]

Oh thank you so much! That looks so sanitary! I appreciate the pics they helped a lot!

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

Good luck with your chicks!

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh thank you so much! That looks so sanitary! I

appreciate the pics they helped a lot!

Make sure to give them a place to get off the wire too so they can rest the feet. I use a small cloth right under the heat source. I also put in small branches and work them up to a 2 x 2 inch for roosting. This also gives them a place to get off the wire. Once they learn how to roost I take the towel away. And the roosts also teach them how to roost so when they go out to the coop, they automatically know how to roost at night.

 

[NC118]

Thank you! I did put water on a block and raised it but still they pollute it! They both sit in their feed also and that sits up as high as possible but still where they can reach it! I am not sure I understand the wire, are you saying no bedding and wouldn't their tiny feet fall through it or get caught? Please help! I don't want my babies getting sick!

It's hard to keep the feeder and waterer clean. If you can hang it with string it will take care of that problem. All you need is something across the top like a stick or sawhorse type thing and hang the feeder and waterer and they wont be able to get pine shavings in there. I changed mt bedding once per week and didn't have any problems. Good luck!