How can I keep my brooder from reeking

[boskelli1571]

What is PDZ how much does it take & how much does it cost?

PDZ is zeolite. It is used in fish tanks etc. to clean the water. It is used in stables to remove the ammonia from horse urine - same principle with chickens, ammonia removal.
You can get it at a farm store, I have no idea how much it costs. To me, it is simply postponing the fact that you need to clean the coop.

 

[wolfwalker]

PDZ is zeolite. It is used in fish tanks etc. to clean the water. It is used in stables to remove the ammonia from horse urine - same principle with chickens, ammonia removal.
You can get it at a farm store, I have no idea how much it costs. To me, it is simply postponing the fact that you need to clean the coop.

TSC carries it for 9.99$ a 25lb bag. I mix a couple of scoops into the deep litter as I am turning it as one edge of the greenhouse gets a little damp keeps everything dry and smell free.

 

[gtaus]

If you switch over to a nice thick bedding of pine shavings, you might not need to use any PDZ. IMHO, For a small brooder, if you start smelling bad odors, it's time to clean out the bedding and start over. But like I said, I used wood chips in my brooder for 8 weeks and had no smell. Just fluffing up the bedding every day or so and adding more bedding as needed kept everything smelling fresh.

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

10 chicks 3 weeks old need more space.
Is the coop ready to go?


That.... and I'm betting spilled water and feed.

I have experience about reeking brooder
1. Stir frequently. I always use pine shavings in the brooder. Pine shavings smell piney fresh and are easy to fluff. Stir at least once a day, twice a day during the third week of brooding.
2. Remove caked bedding. Rather than stir in caked droppings that have accumulated overnight, scoop out the obvious manure and stir the rest of the bedding.
3. Freshen by adding new bedding. A handful or two of fresh bedding daily helps keep brooder smelling fresh and clean.
4. Remove wet bedding at once. Water spills happen. Remove the wet bedding and replace with fresh.
5. Keep feeders at chest level. Chicks can easily dump their feed onto the brooder floor. Nothing smells worse that wet, soiled soybean meal! Real n-a-s-t-y!
6. Move chicks to the coop when they are four weeks old. The chicks begin to use their feathers immediately after they grow in. They are ready to explore a bigger environment at this age. You can use a heat lamp in their coop for a few days to ease the transition of the move.

 

[FathertoFeathers]

I have switched to pine chips and have noticed a big difference so thank you all for that. I’ve had them off the heat lamp for over a week and have been taking them outside regularly. But I have one more question. I was thinking about putting them outside tonight but it’s supposed to get in the low twenties. They will be completely sheltered out of the wind and all that and they’ll have a heat lamp. Do you think I that they will be alright? (They are in the nesting box area off of the ground. I’ll try to attach pictures of the coop)

 

[FathertoFeathers]

they are in the top part of the coop with the door to it closed off to keep the heat in and keep them from falling out. They are just two days shy of being 5 weeks old and are almost completely feathered

 

[rosemarythyme]

they are in the top part of the coop with the door to it closed off to keep the heat in and keep them from falling out.

I REALLY recommend not trying to use a heat lamp in a coop like that. Heat lamps are a fire hazard and in such a confined area a bird jumping, some bedding getting kicked up, can cause a fire.

If you think it's still too cold for them to be out without heat, I wouldn't put them out overnight yet.

Another thing that I can already see being an issue is your coop (which is the upper portion) is lacking in ventilation. Closing them up to keep them warm = higher humidity levels trapped inside, which combined with cold temps can lead to frostbite. Think of how much colder you feel in the winter if you get wet, versus if you stay dry. Lack of ventilation also leads to a build up of ammonia which you've already had issue with in the brooder.

 

[Kat2141]

[/QUOTE]

1. Stir frequently. I always use pine shavings in the brooder. ...
2. Remove caked bedding. ...
3. Freshen by adding new bedding. ...
4. Remove wet bedding at once. ...
5. Keep feeders at chest level. ...
6. Move chicks to coop when they are four weeks old.

I agree about the pine shavings, they really help... a little hint for stirring them up and cleaning... use a kitty litter scoop. It's small enough to use in your tub without having to dump all of your shavings out.

When I had chicks in the house, and wanted heat, I used a heating pad over a wire hoop. It gives them a hut that is warm if they get chilled, but doesn't heat the entire tub. I did have a little challenge finding a pad that had an "always on" option. Many turn off after 2 hours. After they didn't need heat, I moved them to a large dog crate (with a plastic sheet under it and up a few inches of the sides to catch them and the shavings). It was a great way to contain them because, as someone else said, they will start jumping out of the bin. You could even use the little hut in the crate if you wanted. As they grew, I put branches in for them to learn to roost on. Mine were in the house for 6 weeks... but it was very cold in N.Y. then. Take yours out when you are ready to.

You have done well so far if your chicks are alive and healthy. I think most people were just very concerned about the fire danger with the blanket over the heating lamp.

Enjoy your chicks. They will bond with you being so close to you. Two years later and mine still try to come in the house if I leave my doors open (and I LOVE my doors open) when they are free ranging.

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

yes I am a minor living with my parents. I thought that for week one you kept the temperature at 95 degrees and decreased it by five degrees every week. They aren’t showing any signs of being hot and act fine.

Ohhhh My... That said incident was pretty much identical on what happened here last month somewhere here in the Philippines. Be careful guys.

 

[aart]

here in the Philippines

@Fluffyflufffluff
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