Are poopie feet normal?

[llcardinale]

Yes it shouldn't be an issue in the run in most cases.

You said you're using aspen chips? Or shavings? Some types of litter are far better for absorbing poop than others. While I use some aspen shavings for softness while chicks are young it's not very good at absorbing poops. The majority of my brooder litter is wood chip based deep litter, so poop disappears so well that I don't clean the brooder at all - you might be able to replicate the effect if you bring whatever you're going to use outside in, though you'd need a good amount of it.

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Thank you for your response. This constant foot washing and poop pick up seems a bit over the top. I had no idea how time consuming this would be. So, I have redwood chips, and dust extracted chopped straw on composted soil for the run. Do you think that once they're maybe four weeks old that wood chips would be okay for them to walk on?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you think that once they're maybe four weeks old that wood chips would be okay for them to walk on?

I have my chicks on chips at 2-3 days old, so they'll be fine.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Thank you for your response. This constant foot washing and poop pick up seems a bit over the top. I had no idea how time consuming this would be…

So, this is completely spitballing, believe me. Is the entry to your coop from the run set up in such a way that you could provide a tray, like a Rubbermaid pan, with sand that they’d have to walk through? Sort of a doormat for chicken feet.

 

[llcardinale]

Thank you. I'll start incorporating some of the Redwood chips, and in a week or so include some soil.

 

[llcardinale]

I like it. I think that's a great idea. They're are only two weeks old and in a 4x6 brooder, and they've just gotten to where they're not over-eating the Aspen chips, so I'm not quite where I'm wanting to include sand, which I'm assuming they'd eat as well; however, once they're in their coop I think I'll put an area of sand around the ramp. Thanks for that great idea! (Also, I live a block from the ocean, so it's humid, which makes the drying of poop more challenging.)

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I like it. I think that's a great idea. They're are only two weeks old and in a 4x6 brooder, and they've just gotten to where they're not over-eating the Aspen chips, so I'm not quite where I'm wanting to include sand, which I'm assuming they'd eat as well; however, once they're in their coop I think I'll put an area of sand around the ramp. Thanks for that great idea! (Also, I live a block from the ocean, so it's humid, which makes the drying of poop more challenging.)

Let us know how it works! I’m always a bit alarmed when someone actually tries one of my ideas.

 

[llcardinale]

Let us know how it works! I’m always a bit alarmed when someone actually tries one of my ideas.