grass clumps with dirt and roots in brooder?

[junebuggena]

Great advice, definitely has put my mind at ease, Thanks everyone. I was going to move my baby chicks into the coop in a partitioned area once the coop area is finished off with a secure fencing to prevent predators.
Just curious, how often should I put a fresh piece of grass w/dirt in the brooder, daily or only offer it a few times a week? And do I need to disinfect the brooder and the waterer with the 9/1 ratio of water to bleach every time I change/clean it (I clean it daily or every other day depending on it's condition)? I've been rinsing it out thoroughly with water each time.
Thanks.

You don't need to sterilize it every time you clean it out. Once they are living in the brooder, it's just clean out the poo and put in fresh bedding. It's only between batches of chicks that you need to sterilize it. And I only sterilize if I'm buying chicks or if my last batch was bought. If I'm brooding batches of chicks that I hatched, the brooder just gets a quick clean out. And if you have to clean it more than every other day, your brooder is likely too small. I change the sod once a week, or once all the grass starts dieing, whichever comes first.

 

[mhay1]

I am only cleaning it that often because that's what I thought I was suppose to do. It actually never seemed very dirty, so probably the every other day is just fine, even with that it never seems very bad. Thanks.

 

[nharbison0722]

I am only cleaning it that often because that's what I thought I was suppose to do. It actually never seemed very dirty, so probably the every other day is just fine, even with that it never seems very bad. Thanks.

If you're using the deep litter method, you definitely don't need to clean your brooder that much. Just the occasional poop clean up and add more litter! Don't stress yourself out.
Best of luck!

 

[lazy gardener]

Hi,
As a newbie to raising baby chicks I was so excited to read in some of the posts about putting a clump or two of grass, roots, dirt and all into the brooder to help prevent pasty butt, (had to deal with that on day 2). Out to the back yard I went and got 2 nice size clumps and put them into the brooder. All 15 of them loved it and seemed to be snacking on the grass right away!. But now I've read a couple of posts that refer to the possibility of newborns getting a clogged crop and possible getting coccidia? So I immediately took it out, they seemed so sad. Can someone please help me, grass dirt clump to do or not to do. I don't want to add any potential other dangers to their young lives, they are 1 week old now. They are getting non- medicated starter, no grit. I add probiotics and electrolytes to their water. Should I change any of this? Thanks.

As you've already noticed, if you ask one question, you'll get 5 different answers, and 3 of those responders will claim that their answer is the only right answer. Thankfully, there are as many different styles of animal husbandry as there are varieties of chickens. Mama hen takes her babies out into the yard when they are several days old. They eat: soil, worms, chicken poop, chick feed, any insect they can get hold of. Coccidiosis is rare in broody raised chicks. So is pasty butt. Never heard of a broody raised chick having an impacted crop from eating grass in the yard.

Now, if chicks are kept in a sterile brooder, and never allowed to be exposed to the soil... they don't get the chance to develop their immunity. And if gobs of long grass are dumped in the brooder, they just might get an impacted crop. Long strands of cut grass are much different than grass that they can nip off from a chunk of sod. And that sod will have grit in it.

As far as medicated feed, it boils down to personal choice. I would never tell someone to NOT use medicated feed. Which leads me to wonder why some consider that they have to tell everyone they talk to that they MUST use medicated feed. Personal choice! I suggest that you do some of your own research, and come to the decision that makes the most sense to you. If Amprolium blocks Thiamine uptake in the cocci, I'm left wondering if it also blocks thiamine uptake in the chick. Regardless of what the answer to that question is, I choose not to use it. Never had issue with coccidiosis.

Great advice, definitely has put my mind at ease, Thanks everyone. I was going to move my baby chicks into the coop in a partitioned area once the coop area is finished off with a secure fencing to prevent predators.
Just curious, how often should I put a fresh piece of grass w/dirt in the brooder, daily or only offer it a few times a week? And do I need to disinfect the brooder and the waterer with the 9/1 ratio of water to bleach every time I change/clean it (I clean it daily or every other day depending on it's condition)? I've been rinsing it out thoroughly with water each time.
Thanks.

There's such a thing as too clean. I'd suggest that you take a break from the bleach. Studies have been done that show that chicks raised on bedding that has housed previous batches of chicks (dirty litter) benefit and actually grow faster, and use their food more efficiently b/c their guts are more quickly populated with good bacteria and fungi. When I raise chicks, I just toss a layer of shavings over the previous layer when ever needed. The soil from the sod just mixes in with the shavings. Put in sod when ever you feel the desire to do so!

if you have to clean it more than every other day, your brooder is likely too small. I change the sod once a week, or once all the grass starts dieing, whichever comes first.

Definitely. IMO, the biggest mistakes folks make is using a breeder that is too small, and giving the chicks too much heat.

 

[nharbison0722]

As you've already noticed, if you ask one question, you'll get 5 different answers, and 3 of those responders will claim that their answer is the only right answer.  Thankfully, there are as many different styles of animal husbandry as there are varieties of chickens.  Mama hen takes her babies out into the yard when they are several days old.  They eat:  soil, worms, chicken poop, chick feed, any insect they can get hold of.  Coccidiosis is rare in broody raised chicks.  So is pasty butt.  Never heard of a broody raised chick having an impacted crop from eating grass in the yard.

 Now, if chicks are kept in a sterile brooder, and never allowed to be exposed to the soil... they don't get the chance to develop their immunity.  And if gobs of long grass are dumped in the brooder, they just might get an impacted crop.  Long strands of cut grass are much different than grass that they can nip off from a chunk of sod.  And that sod will have grit in it.  

As far as medicated feed, it boils down to personal choice.  I would never tell someone to NOT use medicated feed.  Which leads me to wonder why some consider that they have to tell everyone they talk to that they MUST use medicated feed.  Personal choice!  I suggest that you do some of your own research, and come to the decision that makes the most sense to you.  If Amprolium blocks Thiamine uptake in the cocci, I'm left wondering if it also blocks thiamine uptake in the chick.  Regardless of what the answer to that question is, I choose not to use it.  Never had issue with coccidiosis.  

There's such a thing as too clean.  I'd suggest that you take a break from the bleach.  Studies have been done that show that chicks raised on bedding that has housed previous batches of chicks (dirty litter) benefit and actually grow faster, and use their food more efficiently b/c their guts are more quickly populated with good bacteria and fungi.  When I raise chicks, I just toss a layer of shavings over the previous layer when ever needed.  The soil from the sod just mixes in with the shavings.  Put in sod when ever you feel the desire to do so!

Definitely.  IMO, the biggest mistakes folks make is using a breeder that is too small, and giving the chicks too much heat.

Lazy Gardener! You hit the nail on the head!
Amen!

 

[Nicki750zi]

This was a great thread! I just had a bout of coccidiosis in my adult hens and have day old chicks arriving this week. I've been wondering how I was going to battle keeping my new chicks from falling ill. I will be adding dirt from the older hens' coop/run to the brooder to introduce them to the pathogens and giving a week or two of medicated feed as I can't afford to lose the few I've ordered. You all are great! <3

 

[Degalisto]

Hi,
As a newbie to raising baby chicks I was so excited to read in some of the posts about putting a clump or two of grass, roots, dirt and all into the brooder to help prevent pasty butt, (had to deal with that on day 2). Out to the back yard I went and got 2 nice size clumps and put them into the brooder. All 15 of them loved it and seemed to be snacking on the grass right away!. But now I've read a couple of posts that refer to the possibility of newborns getting a clogged crop and possible getting coccidia? So I immediately took it out, they seemed so sad. Can someone please help me, grass dirt clump to do or not to do. I don't want to add any potential other dangers to their young lives, they are 1 week old now. They are getting non- medicated starter, no grit. I add probiotics and electrolytes to their water. Should I change any of this? Thanks.

I found increasing protein helps prevent pasty butt.. hard boiled egg worked but then I started using .. baby turkey and game bird feed mixed with baby chick starter feed .
The Turkey and Game bird chick feed has a higher protein content and I haven't had a case since I started using that with baby chicks. Have used it for several batches of chicks.
I use the medicated feed for a short while and also put clumps of grass with roots at 4-5 days old with no ill effects.
I use a little chick grit or mash up some regular chicken grit to a small size too.