How often do you clean the brooder?

[Davethebirdman]

Newspaper isn't good on thier legs/feet
Don't use Newspaper folks reading this

Actually, I use wire mesh bottomed cages with trays designed for birds and animals. Then, I clean the tray. If I use the tubs, I put down newspaper because it’s easier for me to clean. Newspaper wont harm them. Slipping on it is a silly idea. Ive been raising chicks my entire life.
Absolutely give Medicated chick starter 4-6 months. It is formulated for chicks.
in addition, I add vitamin supplements to the water that have all necessary vitamins.
I can rarely recall losing a chick except for mail order ones on occasion.

 

[Davethebirdman]

Actually, I use wire mesh bottomed cages with trays designed for birds and animals. Then, I clean the tray. If I use the tubs, I put down newspaper because it’s easier for me to clean. Newspaper wont harm them. Slipping on it is a silly idea. Ive been raising chicks my entire life.
Absolutely give Medicated chick starter 4-6 months. It is formulated for chicks.
in addition, I add vitamin supplements to the water that have all necessary vitamins.
I can rarely recall losing a chick except for mail order ones on occasion.

Actually wood chips are fine too! They are great when there are lots of birds.

 

[tigger19687]

With this group I did paper towels till they were a week old then went to light coating of shavings (paper towels under it). That was for 2 chci,s
Then when they were about 2 weeks I got 4 more chicks so they were on the shavings. But had less shavings under the heater.
Now the newish ones are a week old and I spot 'grab' and add more shavings.
I also just added a plastic coop to the end to give them more room to run and flap.
The heater I may put in the coop part and hope they spend night in there and have the open area without obstacles so they can run

 

[Katicorn]

I only have five ducks, but I’m cleaning up their water mess several times a day. A puppy pad keeps it from ruining the rest of the kiddie pool shavings and straw.

However, I want to hurl everytime I see clusters of poop, so I know it sounds gross) but I put on disposable gloves and had grab clumps of poopie several times a day and sprinkle fresh shavings or straw on top. Good way to use up the overly purchased Covid gloves from last year.Seems I’ll be doing a total clean and spray down about every two days. I can’t handle it.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I do a complete clean every 2 days and a spot clean every day. While I’m cleaning, they go in a cat carrier. They are accustomed to that now. They see me getting ready to change their bedding and they line up at the door. 4-6 of them lead the way and just confidently walk from their brooder to the carrier as soon as I open the door
I think it is good for them to get used to being moved. I also change something in their brooder (add/remove something or rearrange their furniture) every 4-5 days so that they get used to change.

You are amazing! I love this idea!

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I only have five ducks, but I’m cleaning up their water mess several times a day. A puppy pad keeps it from ruining the rest of the kiddie pool shavings and straw.

However, I want to hurl everytime I see clusters of poop, so I know it sounds gross) but I put on disposable gloves and had grab clumps of poopie several times a day and sprinkle fresh shavings or straw on top. Good way to use up the overly purchased Covid gloves from last year.Seems I’ll be doing a total clean and spray down about every two days. I can’t handle it.

I was just thinking, I need to invest in a poopie scooper like for a cat litter box.

 

[Justicedog]

So, not that age group, mine are 8ish weeks and are in the garage brooder, they need to go out to the coop but it needs one more mite treatment before I move them, otherwise, they'd have been out there 2 weeks ago. When I do full clean, I found using a shop vac was the easiest way to just suck out all the bedding.

 

[Erin80]

I clean mine every 3 days, but I have 16 in one and 19 in the other. I use a dustpan (from a broom and dustpan set) and just scoop it all out into a box and dump it. Takes no time really. My brooders are big homemade wood boxes that are big and heavy so dumping is not an option.

 

[sewingkitty1170]

Mine is whenever it starts to smell - about every 5 days. I have five chicks in a 2x4 mesh wire box, which I made out of 1x4 wood furring strips, 2x4 thin plywood and hardware cloth, on my family room floor. I gave them playground sand and fine hemp bedding, which soaks up all the water & poo nicely, and helps with the smell. They make a mess with the bedding by scratching for bits of spilled food! I've also been holding mine since they came home, everyday! I put mine in a big grey tub when I clean with a heavy duty dust pan & brush. They don't mind being picked up anymore now that they are almost five weeks old, and they love to fly across the family room to their brooder when they've had enough "lap-time." It's just 6 feet from the couch to the brooder, but they think it's big fun!