bedding in the brooder..

[lagpmgdsls]

What do you all use as bedding in your brooders and if you use some sort of chips, how do you clean the brooder?

Anyone use Carefresh natural bedding?

 

[shelleyd2008]

I think monarc uses the carefresh bedding, but don't quote me on that! I was using pine shavings, but they get stinky sooooooo fast! This last time I put some pelleted bedding underneath, and some shavings on top. It has been 3 days and they aren't stinky yet, so maybe this will work better? I just take everyone out of the brooder and put them in a box or laundry basket. You have to put a towel over the top to keep them in, but it works pretty well. I don't normally have more than 25 or so though, so that deffinitely helps with clean up

 

[lagpmgdsls]

anyone else have any input?

 

[Fay at Frizzled Feathers]

I just use pine wood chips. When its time to clean the brooder i just take them and put them in another clean brooder then i dump and wash the dirty brooder so it will be ready for the next time i have to clean them again.

It works out real good for me doing it this way, That way i can soak brooder with disinfectant and let it sit for awhile before scrubbing and it also gives it plenty of time to dry before next use.

 

[SimplyForties]

I just bought the CareFresh natural paper pulp bedding. They certainly say all the right things on the package! My chicks should be here in the next day or so. I'll let you know how I like it. Anyone else using it?

 

[Opa]

I bought a 30x30 plastic tray from TSC and then built a brooder around that. The chicks are now on wire, the droppings fall into the tray and it's easy to pull out and empty. One of the smarter things I've done. I also wired in a wafer thermostat so maintaining temperature is much easier as well.

 

[lagpmgdsls]

I started using the Carefresh also...I tried paper towels..which worked fine with only 3-4 chicks in the brooder but now with about 20 it was needing to be cleaned twice a day. I then tried some shelf liner...still needed paper towels under it as things would fall through the little holes and washing it was a pain....

With the carefresh I can go 2 days between cleanings.


My latest batch of Quail is 2 and half weeks and I am ready for them to go outside...they are Jumbos so bigger and more poop at this point. A friend of mine is building me quail condo's which should be done this weekend and then the little buggers are booted out of the house....onto the wire they go!

 

[Akane]

I use pine shavings and I have many different size brooders. By the time one needs cleaned they move up to the next size. So fill the next biggest one, move quail, empty the current one of old bedding, wipe it down with vinegar, leave to air dry until the next batch is ready to go in there, and then repeat for each brooder and set of chicks as they grow.

 

[monarc23]

I was using something that is LIKE carefresh (so you were almost right shelley hehe) but I had to stop because of $ constraints with hubby getting layed off...BUUUUT he's back to work so if things go steady I'll get the brooder cuites back on it as i REALLY liked it!

It was by Kaytee or something like that... had real lavander seeds and flowers and leaves in it that the birds loved and the smell was pleasing

Now I either use newspaper (clean it out once daily) I lay 1-2 peices of it down, then i shread a few over top of that so they can unknowingly kick the shreaded peices on their poo so they arent always walking on their doodie. OR I put down aspen bedding which lasts much longer (but when you have hatches going all the time it doesnt last THAT long ...LOL).

 

[Stina]

I am trying coconut bedding...I have 7 serama chicks and 3 call ducklings on it...it was covered with paper towel the past 2 days (last chicks hatched yesterday, ducklings were picked up yesterday), but I took the towels off tonight. I'll let everyone know how it works out....but so far so good. This is the bedding I use for my mice, and for some of the reptiles. Amazing odor control, great absorbancy, and some antibacterial/antifungal properties. The chicks have basically been leaving it alone for now (a little bit of playing with stringy pieces), the ducklings have picked at it a bit.