cleaning brooder

[echlfan]

My chicks are 11 days old. I have a larger watermelon box with pine bedding covered with paper towels. I lay down a new layer 3 times a day & pull all the paper towels up every other day. Is that the easiest way or is there better ways?

 

[TXmom]

I stopped using the paper towels at almost a week old. Now I just use the pine shavings, and I sprinkle in a new layer of shavings once or twice a day, then I clean them all out and start fresh again. How often you do that depends on how many chicks you have.

Just do whatever is best for you.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

They are at the age now, where they now where there food is, and wont eat the shavings. So you can just keep them on the pine shavings, now. Maybe clean it once or twice a week.

 

[agirly4chicks]

I have 10 2 week old chicks and I am cleaing it every other day. I just don't like seeing the salt and pepper mixed look.

 

[echlfan]

Thanks! Appreciate the answers!!

 

[Zahboo]

How big is your brooder and how many chicks. I like my method of half straw half shavings mixture and mixing it once a day and every other day cleaning it out.

 

[Akane]

I stop using paper towels within a couple days. I did a few hatches without any paper towels but found it harder to show them where the food was. With paper towels I could sprinkle it around and they'd peck at it then realize the stuff they pecked was the same as the stuff in the feeder. Took less effort on my part than pointing them towards the feeder repeatedly while they picked through the shavings wondering if they were food. Within a day or 2 though they realize where to get food and I pull the towels. Usually I have shavings already in place underneath. Then I just empty it out weekly. Usually they've gone up in brooder sizes by then so I empty it for the next batch and move that batch up one. Sometimes I have 3 different brooders going all different sizes and different ages or even with a batch of quail stuck in there.

 

[echlfan]

The brooder is a watermelon box. I have 16 right now. Hopefully getting rid of 10 soon.

 

[cmom]

I use a wire brooder with a tray in it with some pine shavings in it for the chicks to scratch around in. There are trays under the brooder with some pine shavings in them to catch the poop. The brooders stay nice and clean and so do the chicks. There are pictures on my BYC Page.

 

[Mahonri]

I continue laying down paper towels for 4 or 5 days but I add a layer twice a day. I'll roll it all up tomorrow and start over. They seem to be doing well... they really know where the water and food is and jump when I put a fresh pan of chick mash in! They are voracious eaters and are growing quickly!