How often to clean brooder with sand

[Mellowmalt]

my approach might not be peoplle's preferred choice but it works.
Using sand and replacing it every day would fill a bin with sand easily.
All I do is put down some newspaper and replace it once a month. They poo on the newspaper, they stomp on it, it dries out and this process repeats itself 30 times, then I remove the newspaper board of poop. You just need to keep the floor dry at all times otherwise it starts to smell and get messy but otherwise it dries fast and doesn't smell too bad.
It does smell a bit but the waste is much easier to deal with than scooping a bunch of sand every day.

 

[junior67]

I am using pine pellets and it seems to be working well but they have only been here since Sat. but no dust really, I mix it up to have their droppings drop down instead of just sitting on top.

For the bottom of yours what about using cardboard or a cardboard box even if you have to kind of make one so that it fits? it will keep everything contained well I would think.

 

[Fancy_Feathers]

I am using pine pellets and it seems to be working well but they have only been here since Sat. but no dust really, I mix it up to have their droppings drop down instead of just sitting on top.

For the bottom of yours what about using cardboard or a cardboard box even if you have to kind of make one so that it fits? it will keep everything contained well I would think.

Pine pellets seem like they work well, I am considering doing some kind of bedding like that instead of sand.

Thanks for the suggestion for our brooder! Cardboard seems like it would work, I think we will try to do that and see how well it works

 

[SnootyHen]

I used PDZs in my brooder this most recent time (previously used pine shavings). It had pros and cons. I did start with pine for the first week only because it's so soft and they don't poop much in those days. Once I switched to PDZs, I scooped it daily but only had to replace it fully once because they knocked over the waterer.

The major benefit to me is less smell and easier clean-up. The biggest downside is that they are constantly spilling water and you have to be pretty good about catching it fast or you'll be dumping and replacing more often. If you catch it early, you can just move the sand around and it will dry.

Another benefit is they start dust bathing so they smell better.

 

[junior67]

Pine pellets seem like they work well, I am considering doing some kind of bedding like that instead of sand.

Thanks for the suggestion for our brooder! Cardboard seems like it would work, I think we will try to do that and see how well it works

This is my brooder after having 10 chicks in it since Sat. And yest I need to change the press and seal on the MHP

 

[SaiyanMother]

I used hemp and coffee grounds I bought from the chick place (a local agrarian farm store we have here) mixed 50/50. Worked like a dream.

If it works that is great! I have read that coffee grounds are bad for chickens and that there is still caffeine left in them even after they are spent. I would be concerned about this especially with chicks who don't seem to discriminate about what they eat. Obviously if you aren't having any problems then it must be working just fine for you though! I say whatever works. I tried carefresh recently and they ate it ... Still keeping my fingers crossed that this doesn't cause a permanent problem with one baby's crop. She seems to have eaten more than the others. I haven't had chicks eat bedding like this before though. The ones I hatched myself didn't seem to eat it. It is the first time I tried the carefresh bedding so the last ones I had were on pine shavings. I am looking at trying sand, which is what brought me to this thread! Thanks for all the info guys.

 

[Disheygirl]

If it works that is great! I have read that coffee grounds are bad for chickens and that there is still caffeine left in them even after they are spent. I would be concerned about this especially with chicks who don't seem to discriminate about what they eat. Obviously if you aren't having any problems then it must be working just fine for you though! I say whatever works. I tried carefresh recently and they ate it ... Still keeping my fingers crossed that this doesn't cause a permanent problem with one baby's crop. She seems to have eaten more than the others. I haven't had chicks eat bedding like this before though. The ones I hatched myself didn't seem to eat it. It is the first time I tried the carefresh bedding so the last ones I had were on pine shavings. I am looking at trying sand, which is what brought me to this thread! Thanks for all the info guys.

Yeah - after I read through some of the threads here, I decided to switch to paper towels and then hemp and pine for this next round of chicks. I wish there was a standard for all of this. So many different opinions - like sand or not (for the coop run), DE or not, treats or not..it‘s kind of a mixed bag.

 

[K0k0shka]

I use play sand in my brooders and I love it! I scoop daily or as needed with a reptile scoop (kitty litter scoop’s holes are too big and the little poops fall through). I don’t replace the sand, just scoop. I don’t have a smell or dust problem. I use the jar with screw on dish type of waterer and they’ve never spilled it (somebody mentioned the water being a problem). I put paper towels down on top of the sand for the first 3-4 days so they don’t eat it. After that, they’re fine. I’ve never had crop issues because of the sand. It’s my go to bedding for the brooder and I love it!

 

[Fancy_Feathers]

I am using pine pellets and it seems to be working well but they have only been here since Sat. but no dust really, I mix it up to have their droppings drop down instead of just sitting on top.

For the bottom of yours what about using cardboard or a cardboard box even if you have to kind of make one so that it fits? it will keep everything contained well I would think.

Hello! So I decided on using pine pellets for our brooder bedding, but I am curious on how often you are supposed to clean this bedding? Do you have to clean it daily like wood shavings or does this last longer? I was thinking that I could scoop out the droppings like you would with sand? Mixing it seems like a good idea- how often do you clean it? Thank you

 

[vintage]

Hello! So I decided on using pine pellets for our brooder bedding, but I am curious on how often you are supposed to clean this bedding? Do you have to clean it daily like wood shavings or does this last longer? I was thinking that I could scoop out the droppings like you would with sand? Mixing it seems like a good idea- how often do you clean it? Thank you

I spot cleaned and replaced it all weekly. I ended up throwing what was leftover in their run and that's worked really well.