how do you keep your chicks feet clean from poop?

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Love the little doors!

I think it is a good size, doesn't look overly poopy (except maybe in the middle), I keep 25 chicks in a brooder just a little bigger than that. Maybe (gross alert) the poop is just sitting on top of the paper towel. I would put them back on the shavings, that way they can move more shavings over the poo.

 

[Ashdoes]

Honestly, it's looks a little small for that many. Mine is about that size, for 5. Are you ever going to use something besides paper towel? We use pine shavings, and add extra on top anytime there's a lot of poop, deep litter method. My girls almost never have poopy feet. But we wash our hands anytime we touch them anyways, so poopy feet aren't too much of a bother.
Cute babies though, all snuggled.

 

[Ashdoes]

Oh, just thought of a box that would be big enough...some people go to the grocery store and get one of those big boxes they put watermelon in. That would be a great size for all your babies.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Honestly, it's looks a little small for that many. Mine is about that size, for 5. Are you ever going to use something besides paper towel? We use pine shavings, and add extra on top anytime there's a lot of poop, deep litter method. My girls almost never have poopy feet. But we wash our hands anytime we touch them anyways, so poopy feet aren't too much of a bother.
Cute babies though, all snuggled.

That seems very large for only 5 chicks.

 

[MonsterClucker]

Love the little doors!

Thanks!


Wow! Lol and I thought they were doing somethin' with their 3 room brooder. Haha guess not.
But the Rubbermaid is a 50 gal. Biggest one they make I think. And then those 2 boxes are light reflector boxes for hydroponic lighting. They are probably about 3' across each. And there's 2 of them? I have 2 more I could slap together.

I have the fine shavings under the paper towels. But the paper towels are no longer in the middle section just in the side where they sleep and them where the watered and food tray is.
Honestly, since I took up the paper in the middle, it does look like the poop is rubbing off their feet a little better.

I probably should just take up the paper towels right?

What could I use to keep the waterer and the food trough free from shavings and poop?

 

[angel8035]

It looks like they might not be using the non-lit sections too much, but you're right you do have plenty of room. I would let them walk on shavings and just keep paper towels right under the feeder and waterer. I also take wooden blocks and raise the feeders up a little bit to the back height of the chicks. They can eat fine and it is a little harder for them to kick shavings in.

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

I would take up all the paper towels. To keep the area dry though, I put a folded up paper towel under the water, and so it sticks out on the sides. That will just absorb anything they knock out. Mine tend to keep their food and water pretty clean, although you might have to pick out some stuff a couple times everyday.

I think that is definitely big enough, unless they seem to be crushing each other, then I would make a bigger area for the heat lamp.

 

[MonsterClucker]

I didn't think it was too small a brooder. They do use the middle section to sleep in also , it was just that night was kind of warm and they were all together and passed out on that side. But yea you'll catch little groups of em spread out on the heat lamp side and in the middle. I tried the wood block under the food and they seemed to want to jump up on top of it more. I guess ill just put a section of paper towels under the food and leave the rest shavings I guess and see how that works out. Lol its fuuny. I can't believe nobody else has that issue. Here's some pics of their feet

 

[Ashdoes]

Hmmm, that is a lot of poo on the feet. Maybe it's the paper towel? The poo isn't being absorbed? Try just shavings, see if that helps. We have the food and water on wood, it still gets shavings in it, but not like when it was straight on the shavings. And, the closer the water is to the food the more shavings in it, because they kick around a lot at the food.

 

[MonsterClucker]

Hmmm, that is a lot of poo on the feet. Maybe it's the paper towel? The poo isn't being absorbed? Try just shavings, see if that helps. We have the food and water on wood, it still gets shavings in it, but not like when it was straight on the shavings. And, the closer the water is to the food the more shavings in it, because they kick around a lot at the food.

It kind of absorbs it. It dosent disappear though lol yea I'm gonna try just the shavings for awhile and if nothing cha.he's ill report back and see if there's anything else that can be done.

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the brain stimulation lol