1st hatch Brooder cleaning Tips Please

[bbqsfarm]

So I have my first hatch of bobwhites. Getting ready to do my first cleaning of the brooder. Wondering if I should be using a disinfectant and what mix rate? Thinking when I change the water to run some bleach water through and rinse well before returning to the brooder? Also, Do I need places for them to hide in the brooder my husband keeps bugging me that I have no where for them to hide; I am thinking to soon. I am taking the last birds out of the incubator tonight and turning it off. Will use hot water only for tonight because of the today's hatch but thinking need to clean daily and disinfect.

All eggs hatched except for 5. I will candle one last time.


I am using 30 gallon plastic tubs with a wire top and red heat lamp.

 

[Sycamore27]

When I clean around birds or any creature that's sensitive to fumes (like myself!), I use white vinegar 50/50 with water. Especially if I'm cleaning anything that is hard to rinse thoroughly or won't have time to air out before going back with the animal. I use straight vinegar and then rise with warm water when I was cleaning my quail's brooder and now their cage, and I use almost straight vinegar in finch cages to scrub perches and it works great and the birds are doing fabulously. I have used dish soap without fragrance for my waterers and vinegar for water bowls and both worked great.
As for the hides, how old are they? How are they acting? If they seem stressed I would add a couple hides but if they're super young still I would worry about them not moving around to proper temps or crushing each other piling into the preferred spots... but maybe I'm a worrier?
Good luck with your babies!
Jessie

 

[bbqsfarm]

Sounds good I have a couple of gallons of white vinegar. they just hatched Sun - today. I did use bleach for the water canning jars but rinsed it well with no fumes. (Glass) and let water stand in them for about 30 min

I like the vinegar idea over bleach anyway. I did not realize it was a disentectant though.

 

[SavageChick]

If you have food-grade H202 available, you can dilute it down and use this as a disinfectant. I use this to clean fruits and vegetables, bird baths, bathrooms, laundry whites (works like OxyClean), the refrigerator, brooder, etc. I don't have any affiliation with the following web link, but I am adding it for the purpose of reading about the uses of diluted hydrogen peroxide. If you have a local Whole Foods or other health food store, they may sell it there, or you can have them order it for you in a 35% concentration....

http://h2o2foodgrade.com/h2o2.shtml