Cat litter keeps your brooder fresh smelling!

[S and A Layers]

S and A Layers
At first I got the idea watching a cat litter commercial. First time I tried it I was scared my chicks would eat the litter so I feeled socks up and hung it in there brooders which made I fresher but didn't make there crap easier to clean up so I took a risky chance and spread some in there brooder they pecked at it but didn't eat It but that just depends on your chicks so be careful. It made it easier to clean up and I just vacuum it all out. My brooder is half wire floor and wood it's a 4x4 ft square brooder with a lift up lid. Anybody have any ideas that they have used to work to help keep there brooder clean? Thanks

 

[theadvocate19]

is this safe? I use newspaper, and yard trimmings

 

[S and A Layers]

It's safer hanging it in socks to keep it smelling fresh to them but my chicks haven't ate any that I poured out. My chickens act the same it's just depends when I put mine out I watched there reactions and behavior they pecked at it but stopped it works good and cleans up good. It might vary to different chickens.

 

[fantomas]

I would be worried if it was a clumping cat litter. If they ate it or even just breathed it in (the dust), bad things could happen.

 

[Cacique500]

River sand and Sweet PDZ. Had them on it for 4 weeks and it was fantastic...no smell and very easy to clean. Using 100% sweet PDZ on the coop floor and it turns the droppings into hard white pebbles...also very easy to clean and no smell. I'd be worried about the kitty litter and clumping...and whether or not it's safe for them to ingest. YMMV...

 

[S and A Layers]

I only tried it but I rather not use it now to be safe I will prob use the sweet PDZ I just googled it and there's nothing but good replies, thanks for the idea.

 

[peckygirl]

My vet reccomended yesterday's news cat litter. It helped and I just used a cat litter scoop to clean it up. But if they got it in their water it was a huge mess!

 

[ChickNanny13]

I would be nervous using cat litter, as stated the clumping kind. Yesterdays News Cat Litter, think it's compressed newspaper(?), maybe safer. Hubby "enclosed" my worktable & bench for my chicks, it's got a solid floor which is painted. I use pine shavings in a "nest box" in a corner with light which they sleep in. The poop I scrape what I can loose using a dust pan to pick up & dump the poop. I spay the floor with Lysol, let stand for a bit and wipe up the mess, wipe down with a wet rag, dry & return chicks to their cage.

I know someone else that use Pine Pellets but that gives me a head ache. Using shaving works good to but it's less waste & easy for me to wipe down the floors. What is "Sweet PDZ"? Need to look that & River Sand up on the internet.

 

[BuffOrpington88]

I wouldn't use it. If you really need something that's easier to clean up, you may use sand, but that also risks respiratory issues. Frequent cleaning will generally keep it manageable.

 

[fantomas]

I'd be VERY leery of using any sand with silica in it. The silica dust can do a number on your lungs, and I would assume the lungs of the chickens as well.