HELP! It stinks..... Would shredded newspaper be better for us?

[JNorth]

Brought home 12 Cornish Rocks yesterday. They are about 1 week old or so... just starting to feather on their wing tips and tails. We have them in the same brooder that we used a year ago for our RSL. They are inside our house since we don't have anywhere outside that I feel comfortable leaving a heat lamp on 24/7.

They stink! I'm using pine shavings for the bedding, same as we did with the RSL's... but the smell is so much stronger with these chicks.

Would using shredded paper help? I cannot afford to buy enough pine shavings to change the bedding everyday. However newspaper is not in short supply. We have hay as well but I was hoping to not have to use that because of the tremendous amount of dust (add that to the dust from our wood stove and it's awful!).

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I would use sand so you can just scoop the poop out everyday and stir it around.
Cornish Rocks, being meat birds, pretty much spend all of their time eating and pooping. And YES- they stink to high heaven (most folks are more than glad when its time to butcher them around 8 weeks). That being said, they grow so fast, if your weather is decent you can probably put them outside the last few weeks. Until then, keeping the brooder clean is the only option. That, or continue smelling the stinky critters! Good luck!
Nikki

 

[Bellatrixed]

I use sand in my brooder mixed with Sweet PDZ. My chicks are 2 weeks old and there is practically no odor from their brooder at all. I highly recommend it! I made a thread with details.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/751747/sand-in-the-brooder-its-worth-it

 

[JNorth]

Thanks for the tips! We have a empty coop in our woodshed, so as soon as these critters are feathered they are going out back! So glad this was not my first attempt at raising chickens or I would easily call it a quits because of the smell. Even my 7yo noticed a difference! Stinky.