Changing brooder bedding - temperatures

[holbytla]

We are using a 40 gallon bin as a brooder with automotive paper towel bedding. Most of this clutch is 4 days old and they poop SO MUCH. For the first couple days we changed the bedding once a day, but I saw that some who use a similar setup to ours change the bedding twice a day. So that's the new plan.

We have been moving the chicks out of the brooder to clean it, which doesn't take too long, but can the drop in temperature while not under the heat lamp cause any problems? They are indoors so the house ambient temperature is around 70°F. The brooder itself is an average of 95° under the lamp.

 

[fuzzi]

We are using a 40 gallon bin as a brooder with automotive paper towel bedding. Most of this clutch is 4 days old and they poop SO MUCH. For the first couple days we changed the bedding once a day, but I saw that some who use a similar setup to ours change the bedding twice a day. Is this considered best practice?

We have been moving the chicks out of the brooder to clean it, which doesn't take too long, but can the drop in temperature while not under the heat lamp cause any problems? They are indoors so the house ambient temperature is around 70°F. The brooder itself is an average of 95° under the lamp.

I would think they're okay for the time it takes to change the towels. If the chicks get loud and huddle together that's a sign they're getting cold.

Mine were brooded outside, so straw bedding is all they've known.

 

[Nabiki]

They'll be fine in such a short period. I have two 50 gallon tubs for brooders. I have a clean one ready, transfer the chicks to the clean one, then clean the dirty one so it's ready for the next cleaning time.

 

[holbytla]

They'll be fine in such a short period. I have two 50 gallon tubs for brooders. I have a clean one ready, transfer the chicks to the clean one, then clean the dirty one so it's ready for the next cleaning time.

Brilliant! I'm going to do this. My husband is off picking up a second bin right now.

 

[CliftonQuail]

Brilliant! I'm going to do this. My husband is off picking up a second bin right now.

I'll echo @Nabiki and say I do the same thing with matching totes. Move the heat source, feed and water to the clean one, then move the birds and clean the used one. That way, they're only away from the heat for, at most, a minute while I shuffle things.

 

[Dough Hill]

like the others have mentioned you’re ok to clean especially in the house. Mine are in the garage that’s not heated I use two 50 gallon livestock tanks I’ve used for over 20 years I cover them with a piece of plywood and move it back and forth to regulate the temperature in my brooders. I use small fine pine shavings for bedding I put my Heat lamp with a 250 watt bulb this time of year on one end of the Stock tank and there water at the other end this way they have a place to cool down if they get too hot there feed I have a feeder against the wall near the middle never had any problems doing it this way. The extra fine pine shavings makes it easy for cleaning and you can go for at lease 2 days before cleaning.

 

[holbytla]

The two-bin method is working great and nobody seems at all bothered by the temperature shifts so far! But transfering the birds is about to become a little more challenging, since we're already seeing some wing feathers coming in and a couple of them made valiant attempts at flight this evening during the transfer. Can't believe that's already happening at five days old!

Any hints on to make transferring the little butts between bins more efficient would be much appreciated.

 

[DotToDot]

Sorry, super off topic, but your bitmoji In the chicken looks so much like mine that I thought it was for a second! Good luck with your chicks!

 

[CliftonQuail]

The two-bin method is working great and nobody seems at all bothered by the temperature shifts so far! But transfering the birds is about to become a little more challenging, since we're already seeing some wing feathers coming in and a couple of them made valiant attempts at flight this evening during the transfer. Can't believe that's already happening at five days old!

Any hints on to make transferring the little butts between bins more efficient would be much appreciated.

I use the blue shop towels in the bottom of my bins to give them some traction. Until they get close to starting to fly, I don't worry about putting anything over the top of the bin (no other pets in the house to worry about). When I decide it's time to start covering the top, I use a piece of window screen material and use binder clips to attach it. I make sure it hangs loosely down a bit into the bin so they're less likely to hurt themselves if they jump. When I'm transferring them between bins, I use binder clips to drape a length of shop towels over one end of the new bin. That mostly keeps them in, but I don't think I've had more than a dozen birds to contend with since I started using the bins. I'm currently incubating and plan to build two actual screen frames and install the screen material loosely. That will probably keep them in better.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Really not much with transfer tips, are you "grabbing" them or scooping?
When brooding in the house 1 - 2wks, I stick my hand in to scoop just to get them used to my hand and the motion. Works with some but there's always a few that won't get with the program.
Also stopped used heat light (40 - 60watt) when I learned about MHP, IMO the chicks are calmer, quieter and less skittish. Hubby made a screened lid for my plastic bins which help keeping them in but then they go out to the brooder outside in the patio.

I use potty pads during the first couple weeks to monitor their poop & it absorbs, using chopsticks to pick up the "big" stuff. Then switch to flake pine shaving when they go out to the patio brooder. Once out there, I teach them the Horizontal Water Nipple cause it's a waste of shavings & endless time trying to keep the water clean.