How do I keep my brooder from stinking?

[Beekissed]

I have 9 3-4 wk olds inside. I add a new layer of newspaper once or twice a day, so I have several inches built up right now. Little to no smell. Each bird has almost a foot of space. (have a bigger box to set up soon. Rule of thumb for me is odor means you need more carbon/bedding.

Are yours CX chicks or just regular breeds?

 

[Working Dog Doc]

I use Equine Fresh in my brooder (a Rubbermaid bin with hardware cloth ziptied to a hole cut in the lid). I give them a depth of about 2 inches and it expands on its own. I stir it up about every 3-4 days and might add a little fresh on top. I totally dump out and clean it and add in fresh every 7-10 days. I keep the brooder in my living room and it held up to 8 birds pretty comfortably until being moved outside at 3 weeks.

 

[SowdersHomestead]

I started to use shredded leaves this year and there is no odor in the brooder. Last year we raised 15 in the fall and the smell was awful. This year we did 50 in the same brooder with little to no smell. Put down 3 or 4 inches of shredded leaves to begin with then every couple days just sprinkle a layer of shredded down.

 

[TonySorrento]

I started to use shredded leaves this year and there is no odor in the brooder. Last year we raised 15 in the fall and the smell was awful. This year we did 50 in the same brooder with little to no smell. Put down 3 or 4 inches of shredded leaves to begin with then every couple days just sprinkle a layer of shredded down.

Do you ever change it out?

 

[SowdersHomestead]

Do you ever change it out?

After I move them out.

 

[TonySorrento]

Quote:
After I move them out.

You have me intrigued! So how big is your brooder with how many chicks and how long do you keep them in there? I am all for easy

 

[StephanieH]

I have 9 3-4 wk olds inside. I add a new layer of newspaper once or twice a day, so I have several inches built up right now. Little to no smell. Each bird has almost a foot of space. (have a bigger box to set up soon. Rule of thumb for me is odor means you need more carbon/bedding.

Are yours CX chicks or just regular breeds?
Ahh...good point. Mine are dual purpose, but I think there is still something to be said for plenty of carbon. Been reading on here about fermented feed helping to reduce stink and firm up droppings for CX. Might be another thing the OP could look into.

 

[SowdersHomestead]

You have me intrigued! So how big is your brooder with how many chicks and how long do you keep them in there? I am all for easy

All my brooders are 8' * 4'. I leave CX's in there 3 to 4 weeks. Since the weather has been quite mild this year I had them out in 3 weeks because the heat from the composting leaves was getting to be to much. I think I actually turned off the heat lamp on the second week. If you keep the brooder dry after cleaning out the bedding all you really need to do is allow the brooder to sit out in direct sun light for a few days and its ready to go again.

This batch there was 49. With the feeders and waterer's, leaving them in past 3 weeks we would of needed to split them up.