Brooder Maintenance & Chick Access

[Mjvl]

Hi All,

I’m new to raising chickens. I have 5 chicks (mixed breeds) from TCS that were a week old. I started in a 50 gallon plastic container as their brooder box. I’ve had them for a few weeks and transitioned them to a bigger brooder - a raised planter (71 in long x 36 in wide x 24 in high) as it was getting a bit tight in their first container. I’m not very ‘handy’ so I covered the brooder with plastic fencing held down by boards. I have tons of questions, but will try to limit this post to brooder-related questions.

1. I put about 2 - 3 inches of pine straw down. How often should I clean it out? Do I need to swap out all the pine straw on a daily/weekly basis?
2. What’s the best way to keep the smell down? PDZ and/or First Saturday Lime? Or something else?
3. The long boards holding the netting down, makes it difficult to get to the chicks and back of the brooder. Is there some other way to weigh down the net, but have it easy to roll back so I can clean/get the chicks, etc.
4. Ultimately, I would like to use hemp in their coop. Do I need to change the pine straw to hemp before moving them to the coop?

Thanks in advance for your advice/suggestions.

 

[SueT]

I like using PDZ w no other bedding, and clean using a cat litter scoop. But by 4-5 weeks old, they can graduate from the brooder and go out to the coop....

 

[rosemarythyme]

1. If it smells, it needs to be cleaned. Depending on level of soiling is how much you'd need to clean out - if it's wet, it all should go. Mostly dry, then you can just remove the more obviously soiled area.
2. I don't believe in adding stuff to mask odor. I'd clean.
3. Maybe try making a frame out of duct tape and cardboard to attach to the netting, then you can lift it more like a traditional lid?
4. You can change the bedding whenever. Probably use up the pine you have first and then switch to the hemp if that's your preference.

 

[Mjvl]

I like using PDZ w no other bedding, and clean using a cat litter scoop. But by 4-5 weeks old, they can graduate from the brooder and go out to the coop....

That’s an interesting approach. Thanks

 

[Mjvl]

1. If it smells, it needs to be cleaned. Depending on level of soiling is how much you'd need to clean out - if it's wet, it all should go. Mostly dry, then you can just remove the more obviously soiled area.
2. I don't believe in adding stuff to mask odor. I'd clean.
3. Maybe try making a frame out of duct tape and cardboard to attach to the netting, then you can lift it more like a traditional lid?
4. You can change the bedding whenever. Probably use up the pine you have first and then switch to the hemp if that's your preference.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

Is there any way that you can brood in the coop?

 

[Mjvl]

Welcome to BYC.

Is there any way that you can brood in the coop?

Thanks for the welcome!
I’ve held off moving them to the coop since they are only 3-4 weeks old and not fully feathered.

I have a small coop for now (not handy so I have a pre-made one). I planned to have their water and food outside in their run.

If I move them to the coop now, do I need to confine them to the coop?
Or can I let them out in the run, even though they don’t have all their feathers?

 

[3KillerBs]

Thanks for the welcome!
I’ve held off moving them to the coop since they are only 3-4 weeks old and not fully feathered.

I have a small coop for now (not handy so I have a pre-made one). I planned to have their water and food outside in their run.

If I move them to the coop now, do I need to confine them to the coop?
Or can I let them out in the run, even though they don’t have all their feathers?

What are your current temperatures like? Daytime highs and nighttime lows?

Could you show us pictures of your setup?

Any way to run electric to the coop if they still need heat?

 

[Mjvl]

Welcome to BYC.

Is there any way that you can brood in the coop?

What are your current temperatures like? Daytime highs and nighttime lows?

Could you show us pictures of your setup?

Any way to run electric to the coop if they still need heat?

Temperatures highs are 80 - 90F and lows 60 - 70F.
I do have electric running to the coop so I could put the heating plate in the coop.

Since I’m new to raising chickens and need to keep costs down, I went with the pre-fab coop. I do plan to change it out in the future.

 

[3KillerBs]

They may need some help learning to get up and down the ramp, but at this age they shouldn't need much heat in the day. I'd worry about them getting too hot if confined in the coop part in the sun.