Brooder bedding foot issues

[enigmachick]

Super frustrated with the bedding in our brooder, we have 16 chicks that are approx 10 days old. We had them in a tote brooder with paper towels and it was such a mess constantly changing papers that after 4 days I changed them over to sand as I'd read glowing recommendations for it. I got the exact right sand I thought, no dust, super cleaned large grain river sand. However, it has been a mess with their FEET! We scoop it 3-4 times a day and the poor quails' feet are just covered in poopy sandy mats. It doesn't seem to dry the poops out, they just sit there until they're scooped. I could easily need to clean every one of their feet every single day which is completely impractical, not to mention stressful for them I'm sure. We moved them to a larger brooder with the sand that's the biggest tote I could find in case they were too crowded and it's not making any substantial difference. I'm using Sweet PDZ coop refresher and to be fair to the sand the smell is not offensive in there.

My only thought is to split them into the new and old brooder so there are fewer birds in each one. I don't have enough sand for the old brooder but I do have aspen shavings so I was thinking of trying it and seeing if it's any better or worse.

I'm wondering as they're just one week old, somehow I have to keep them in there for 5 more weeks before I can tell boys from girls?! Sheesh it's hard to imagine the poop How on earth do I keep their feet clean?

ETA they are currently in a tote nearly 6 sq ft for 16 chicks.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

We raised chicken chicks in totes this year and used puppy pee pads with good results, have you tried those? Only changed them once a day.

 

[Nabiki]

I keep mine on pine shavings, but they still need to be cleaned daily.

 

[enigmachick]

I keep mine on pine shavings, but they still need to be cleaned daily.

The feet need to be cleaned daily or the pine shavings do? Also, how do you "clean" the shavings? Do they get replaced completely daily?

 

[enigmachick]

We raised chicken chicks in totes this year and used puppy pee pads with good results, have you tried those? Only changed them once a day.

I haven't, do the poops soak in somehow or do they just sit on top?

 

[Nabiki]

The feet need to be cleaned daily or the pine shavings do? Also, how do you "clean" the shavings? Do they get replaced completely daily?

I have never had the chicks get poop balls on shavings. I keep them in plastic tubs, so I put fresh shavings into a new tub, move the chicks to the new tub, then clean the old one. Repeat daily. They are little poop machines.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I use pine shavings removed and replaced daily with no poopy feet problems even with my Brahmas, Maran and Salmon Faverolles.

 

[enigmachick]

I have never had the chicks get poop balls on shavings. I keep them in plastic tubs, so I put fresh shavings into a new tub, move the chicks to the new tub, then clean the old one. Repeat daily. They are little poop machines.

I think I am going to try this...I had read pine shavings were toxic to birds so I bought aspen but it's like $8 for a little bag so it didn't seem reasonable. At this point though I'm not so sure they're happy on the sand either.

I was going to make their entire run sand...now I'm strongly questioning the wisdom of that, but I don't have the setup for a huge compost heap for all the deep litter etc

 

[Nabiki]

I think I am going to try this...I had read pine shavings were toxic to birds so I bought aspen but it's like $8 for a little bag so it didn't seem reasonable. At this point though I'm not so sure they're happy on the sand either.

I was going to make their entire run sand...now I'm strongly questioning the wisdom of that, but I don't have the setup for a huge compost heap for all the deep litter etc

Cedar is toxic, but pine is fine.

Good luck with your endeavor! I keep mine rotating on my garden beds. They eat the bugs and fertilize the bed, then move on to the next one.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I haven't, do the poops soak in somehow or do they just sit on top?

They pretty much sit on top, but the pads are absorbent so the poops do dry up a bit. Much better than paper towels, which just get soggy and wet and tear apart.