I got 20 Cornish Xs and 10 black broilers in the mail from Ideal today; the post office called at 8pm and I rushed out of work to pick them up (I had warned everyone that would happen). Got them all settled in to their Graber baby playpen (after all, they're my babies, right?!), got them all drinking (and after looking at 30 little fuzzballs, I pondered having a drink myself!!!) and some ignored the gel food and went right for the crumbles! They all seem very healthy. I had what I thought was a brilliant idea last night; I laid down 4 layers of old bath towels, with a cut-open feed bag in between each towel. When I got home tonight, I rolled off the top towel and feed bag, and kind of "shooed" the chicks to the clean side as I was rolling off the top layer. Voila! Clean towels! Depending on how much they poop (OK, a lot!), I might have to change the towels twice a day until they go to wood chips. I have to say, I think the towel/feed bag layer idea seems to be working very well. I've never had chicks this small; it is hilarious to watch them eat and suddenly fall over, asleep in the food. Now I see how they can drown in their water dish if you're not careful! I'm not naming them; in fact, that's why I got a bunch of white and a bunch of black, so they (hopefully) don't really stand out as personalities. I'll also be interested to see how the cornish Xs do in relation to the broilers (I got them different colors, so they're color-coded...I am SO not right!!! LOL!) Anyway, thanks to everyone here for their support and enthusiasm; without you, I would never have had the guts to try this!
Congrats on your new chicks. I have to say....thats a great idea with the towels and feed bags. After a few changes....they will be ready for the pine shaveings. Fresh chicken in the freezer....the greatest satisfaction of all.
Update on the towel idea; It's working wonderfully. I used dog food bags, which have a plastic lining. I'm changing the towels 2-3 times a day, and will probably go another day or two before we go to wood chips (which are SOOOO messy!!!) To clean the towels, I shook out the poop, soaked several in a 5 gallon bucket with some Dr. Bronner's Tea Tree Soap https://vitanetonline.com/descripti...p-Tea-Tree/#Pure-Castile-Liquid-Soap-Tea-Tree and will let the towels soak overnight, then wash them with some bleach tomorrow; same procedure I used for a visitor who brought diapers (which were MUCH more disgusting than chick poop, at least at the moment!)
Quote:No, it means I'm in Texas and we're all burning up down here. Actually, there is a large measure of truth to the above statement, but I was being a wise-a$$. Yes, broilers means they're going to end up in the freezer within a couple of months. Hope that doesn't offend.