How often do I really need to change pine shavings???

[kittyariel]

I have 4 pullets about a week old in a big rubbermaid container. I know its okay to leave them in with some poo, but it freaks me out!!! Thanks so much , yall have already been the best help ever!! DH says you would think I brought a human baby home!!!

 

[redhen]

use your judgement..but remember if you leave them in a dirty brooder they can get very sick. i change mine alot...but not every day.

 

[Yoko]

yeah,depends,but make sure it doesnt get too messy or itll get stinky and chickies will get sick!
-yur buddeh Yoko

 

[GreenEggsHam]

We had a similar setup for our seven chicks as you do and changed the pine chips daily and never had any die or get sick. By the way, best deal on pine chips we found was the large economy size bag at Wallyworld.

 

[briana1975]

We have 28 chicks in the brooder and I change the shavings ( all of them) every other day to every 2 days. In between that I add extra and stir around to keep it a little cleaner. Most of the time I can't bear to let it go 2 days because of the smell. My husband and kids say they can't smell it but I can.

 

[Tala]

Every third day. Usually by the end of the second day it's starting to smell so first thing the third morning is change the litter. I put my shavings in pretty deep, like 3" so the poop gets stirred in and buried pretty well.

 

[desertgirl]

Same here. I have a 2X2 wire cube with straw and aspen shavings (only 3 three week old chicks). I could probably let it go, but I change it every other day whether I think it needs it or not (don't want any chance of disease for these sweet little girls). The perches,food and water bowls I clean twice a day.

I hope to chill out a bit when they get to be adults...

 

[trekster78]

I have a fairly large baby playpen which I have been using as a brooder for about 10 chicks. Is it ok to use the deep litter method? I just keep adding new litter everyday and stir things up a bit. Doesn't really smell that bad.

 

[jadell]

I would agree that you need to use your judgement. There is no set time frame to change the shavings. If you think they need to be changed, I say change 'em! My chicks were in a pretty big brooder, about 3'x9' so I only had to change them about once a month. If I thought it needed it sooner, I changed it. If not, I waited a little bit longer. They all turned out just fine with no adverse health problems. They lay plenty of eggs for me everyday now!

 

[rhythmicgoldfish]

i use newspaper covered with paper towels, i just pop all the chicks in a cardboard box for a minuet while i roll up the paper towels and toss them

the deep litter method is used for extra warmth due to the decomposing poo and i would not think that it is appropriate for chicks trekster78