How Many Times DO I Need To Change Their Litter?

[chickybaby1213]

I'm prepping for chicks next week but I don't know how much shavings to buy would a bag be not enough.I should be keeping them in my brooder for one or two weeks.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I would brood them right in the coop if you can, and a bag will be fine to start its compressed and goes a long ways.

Gary

 

[snow5164]

You'll need less then you think.
I start them on paper towels so they can clean up the seeds they flail all around and they don't slip and slide .

I don't like shavings because they do nothing to dry out the poop ( which is very wet), Ihave found sand to be a great brooder flooring and I never change it til they're out of there in 3-4 weeks depending on the weather .

Just another option

 

[EricaCAL]

Hi! We are using Aspen Shavings as the litter in the brooder. I tried both pine and aspen and the aspen is FAR superior. Way less dust. Plus it smells very fresh, almost no odor but a fresh clean smell. I clean mine out every 2 days cause I dont want them walking in their poop very long. We have gone through 1.5 bags of the aspen shavings so far in the past 8 days. Hope this helps!

 

[sharlysharlss]

Im curious too as to how often should the litter be changed. I have 3-4week old chicks and they make a mess. I am buying one of those hamster water feeders today bc they make a mess out of the water. I am cleaning it every 3 days and it sucks. is there a better way? do I just keep piling on the shaving on top of the old shavings?

 

[lazy gardener]

What do you intend to use for bedding when they are done in the brooder? If you will continue to use shavings, buy a bale of shavings. If you plan to use a natural or DL bedding, you can buy what ever makes most sense to you. You will pay almost as much for a bag of shavings as you will for a bale, and the bale will go much much much further. You change or top off the litter as often as it needs to be done. If you can keep them from spilling water, the shavings will stay dryer. (elevate it above the level of the shavings after the first day. Aim to have it as high as the chick's backs when they are standing up. When I brood chicks, I simply top off the old shavings with a fresh layer every couple of days. I also hang their waterer from a chain. It makes it super easy to adjust the height as they grow so quickly.

 

[jeria]

Newbie here, I put the waterer and feeder up on a 12x12 landscape block and it solved my water mess. Mine are 4 weeks and I have changed the litter just last weekend. Using pine shavings and I mix it up every few days and I have added a few more handfuls now and then.

 

[RonC]

I just mixed the shavings around and it lasts about 3 weeks before it starts getting funky. Of course it depends on the number of chicks, size of the brooder and how deep the shavings are. i keep about 4 inches in the brooder. Sharly if you're only having to clean the water out every three days you are doing well. Three times a day is more the norm. I hang my waterer also so they have to reach for it. Feeder goes on a piece of plywood and they still waste a ton.

 

[3riverschick]

Change the litter when they have no dry place to stand or when it smells Best ,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Hey lazy Gardener ,
I figured out a new way to get the water up out of the chips .are you ready for this ?okay, I buy water spring water in one gallon jugs for $0.88 at Walmart . then I take the jug and cut it off around the bottom just below the bottom of the handle . then I took some sticky tape and made a star of tape on the bottom of the gallon jug. put the filled waterer on top of the gallon jug .the bottom of the gallon jug lifts the waterer in my Brooder so it's about half an inch above the top of the British. when I snap the top of the brooder, it pushes down on top of the waterer and they can't kick the waterer over.
next season I'll take the jug bottom and fill with plaster of Paris. I think that would be helpful. it makes the jug bottom a little bit more sturdy .
Best,
Karen