Clean chicks

[tippyfarm]

This is my first time with chicks. I have six 2 wk olds. They are really messy little gals and guys whats the best way to clean them up a bit when I clean their box?

 

[lazy gardener]

I have 6 3 week old chickens and they have poop stuck to their butt and feather and i want to know if this is normal. Also what is a brooder?

A brooder is an enclosed safe space to keep baby chicks in until they no longer need extra heat. Are you providing your chicks with heat? Are they cuddled together or running around in their space, and spread out? Where are you keeping them now? And at what temperature. They may not be warm enough, and that may be contributing to their poopy butts. You need to keep their butts clean, or the poop will continue to stick in their down/feathers and harden like cement until they can't poop any more. That will kill them. You might do a thread search for "pasty butt" and "brooders".

 

[Keltara]

If your baby chicks are poopy, it's because their brooder is too messy. Mine were always very clean. If you want an easy alternative for bedding, try "all puropose or construction sand". Put about an inch on the bottom of the brooder. Next, buy yourself a kitty litter scoop and attach 1/4 inch hardware cloth to the scoop part with zip ties. Just sift out the poop each day (will only take about 30 seconds), and your chicks will be clean, the brooder will be odor free, and you'll be happy.

I use sand in my coop and run. You can see more about it here.

Kelly

 

[gabbyv01]

I have 6 3 week old chickens and they have poop stuck to their butt and feather and i want to know if this is normal. Also what is a brooder?