Hubby wonders if I'm cleaning the brooder too often

[RobertaD1]

I just wonder HOW you find the time!?
I say... If it makes you happy.... (and its legalLOL) ... by all means, do it!

Now, sanity wise.... LOL.... That's for the mental health professionals to decide...LOL!

 

[Flockincrazy]

He claims I work too hard...

Our twelve, week old on Monday chicks have a brooder in the coop that is about 8x3 with an elevated feeder and two elevated waterers. Every other day I round the chicks up into a towel-lined box, remove all the (large pine shaving) bedding to the compost pile or just toss it into the run area, scrub everything down with soapy vinegar, wipe it all dry, then reassemble the brooder before adding new shavings, putting everything back inside, and putting the chickies back in.

Every day, I wash and refill the waterers, remove and replace any wet bedding beneath the nipple waterer, remove/replace any noticably dirty bedding throughout the day, and wipe away droppings on the frame edges of the brooder (it is built into the coop; still not sure if deeper litter is okay at this point). View attachment 2263630

Thoughts? We are both curious.

Way to much i can see you doing the water and feed dishes but the rest way to much mine is an old shipping crate it get cleaned cleaned once a week taking the wet shavings from under the water yes if there's a lot of little poops getting that but deep cleaning like that is not good for you or the chicks especially all the wet your only drying the surface area your essential going to make it so humid in there they will have respiratory issues

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

You are doing a lot, but not necessarily too much. Wash/Refill waterers daily, yes you need to do that. Remove any wet bedding, yes you should probably do that. Remove dirty bedding, you could probably just do a big clean out once a week and you would be fine. Cleaning it every other day seems like a hassle, most of us just do it once every week or two. But if it makes you happy then do what makes you happy ( as long as it isn’t illegal.).

 

[NightingaleJen]

Thank you all, we appreciate the help. I seem to keep running across posts and articles about cleaning the brooder every day, and figured we were actually getting away with something.

So if I just clean out any damp, toss in some fresh stuff as necessary, and clean well once a week--other than the daily stuff like cleaning and refilling water, replacing the bedding beneath the plate, etc--we should be good? The flooring is vinyl (left over from building the house), FWIW, but I definitely understand the moisture concerns; grew up with small parrots.

This afternoon when I peeped in on the chicks, I gave them a clump of dirt, a few crumbled, mostly clean (other than dirt/dust) dry leaves (we live in the woods--plenty of those around), and a trio of small sticks in an "H" shape to practice roosting on. They loved it all! Plus the microbes in the soil can't hurt with cleanliness...Anyhow. Sound good? This morning was in fact the Big Cleaning, but it sounds like they can wait for several days now!

All of that said, and everyone's excellent advice considered...if I WERE to keep this up, with all of that bending, crouching, and squatting...my glutes would look AMAZING within another week or two... ;D

I just wonder HOW you find the time!?
I say... If it makes you happy.... (and its legalLOL) ... by all means, do it!

Now, sanity wise.... LOL.... That's for the mental health professionals to decide...LOL!

Ha! I'm a human whirlwind. Also, a early riser most of the time.

 

[jolenesdad]

Thank you all, we appreciate the help. I seem to keep running across posts and articles about cleaning the brooder every day, and figured we were actually getting away with something.

So if I just clean out any damp, toss in some fresh stuff as necessary, and clean well once a week--other than the daily stuff like cleaning and refilling water, replacing the bedding beneath the plate, etc--we should be good? The flooring is vinyl (left over from building the house), FWIW, but I definitely understand the moisture concerns; grew up with small parrots.

This afternoon when I peeped in on the chicks, I gave them a clump of dirt, a few crumbled, mostly clean (other than dirt/dust) dry leaves (we live in the woods--plenty of those around), and a trio of small sticks in an "H" shape to practice roosting on. They loved it all! Plus the microbes in the soil can't hurt with cleanliness...Anyhow. Sound good? This morning was in fact the Big Cleaning, but it sounds like they can wait for several days now!

All of that said, and everyone's excellent advice considered...if I WERE to keep this up, with all of that bending, crouching, and squatting...my glutes would look AMAZING within another week or two... ;D



Ha! I'm a human whirlwind. Also, a early riser most of the time.

Keep at it. The more time you spend with your chickens, the better. I, personally, clean my brooder super often during the first week or two because it gives me a chance to handle and inspect each chick as I move them.

I agree with skipping the vinegar on the regular cleanings. The most important thing in a brooder is that it is dry. The drier it is, the dirtier it can be.

there is a thought to “too clean” an environment for too long, but, with you introducing dirt and grass to the brooder, they’re getting exposed. You can clean to your hearts content.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yes they should be fine. And if you really want to, what I sometimes do to stretch cleanings is just stir the bedding up. That way the poop goes down into it and fresh shavings come up.

And of course occasionally topping it off with new shavings.

But I sometimes don’t even change the brooder, just stir and top off. And some people do this or similar with adult chickens too... deep litter. They’ll be fine, I promise.

Especially since they’re still so small. Teenagers tend to make a bit more of a mess

 

[pamelajean]

You are doing way too much. I do almost the opposite, actively throwing dirt clods in my brooder to give them exposure to microbes and dust baths and I just add fresh bedding on top of the soiled bedding a few times a week. I will do this for the whole brood, 4 weeks without doing a litter change! After they get to be about 2 weeks the round up is just stressful for them and me. Soesn't seem worth it. I also use pine shavings and brood 12 or less chicks in a 2x3 outdoor brooder. The brooder has 3, 2x3 sections, 2 for birds one for supplies. In between batches I replace all the shavings and give feeder and waterer a good scrub. I have tiles under my brooder plate and wire as the floor of the rest. My chicks seem happy and healthy adter raising 2 batches of layers and 1 batch of meat birds this way.View attachment 2263787
These chicks are cornish x.

I also have a brooder plate and am curious about your use of tiles underneath. Is this to help keep their feet warm? What kind of tiles do you use? My chicks are now 2 weeks old and they seem to be on top of the plate a lot - I wonder if they are warming up their feet or if they just like being on top to play.

 

[RobertaD1]

So if I just clean out any damp, toss in some fresh stuff as necessary, and clean well once a week--other than the daily stuff like cleaning and refilling water, replacing the bedding beneath the plate, etc--we should be good? The flooring is vinyl (left over from building the house), FWIW, but I definitely understand the moisture concerns; grew up with small parrots.

This afternoon when I peeped in on the chicks, I gave them a clump of dirt, a few crumbled, mostly clean (other than dirt/dust) dry leaves (we live in the woods--plenty of those around), and a trio of small sticks in an "H" shape to practice roosting on. They loved it all! Plus the microbes in the soil can't hurt with cleanliness...Anyhow. Sound good? This morning was in fact the Big Cleaning, but it sounds like they can wait for several days now!

That looks pretty good!!!! LOL!!!
Now that thats settled....
will you come organize my house!!!

 

[Molly Mojo]

He claims I work too hard...

Our twelve, week old on Monday chicks have a brooder in the coop that is about 8x3 with an elevated feeder and two elevated waterers. Every other day I round the chicks up into a towel-lined box, remove all the (large pine shaving) bedding to the compost pile or just toss it into the run area, scrub everything down with soapy vinegar, wipe it all dry, then reassemble the brooder before adding new shavings, putting everything back inside, and putting the chickies back in.

Every day, I wash and refill the waterers, remove and replace any wet bedding beneath the nipple waterer, remove/replace any noticably dirty bedding throughout the day, and wipe away droppings on the frame edges of the brooder (it is built into the coop; still not sure if deeper litter is okay at this point). View attachment 2263630

Thoughts? We are both curious.

Do what works for your own personal level of passion.

I was super anal retentive, doing the same things (quite happily) with my first batch of chicks.

As I’ve learned and adjusted and changed, things just naturally ebb and flow for me.

I have daily routines that are time related and then I have casual visits because I enjoy it.

I might go out originally to check on water level, then just see a few things that may be no big deal, but I’m already there and am not pressed for time on anything else.

People often question what is really necessary and they don’t step back and look into what is personally necessary to participate and enjoy this.

My family thinks I’m crazy, but me and the chickens are the only sane ones.

They take care of many of my mental needs, so I enjoy doing things that may not be necessary, but still nice.

 

[NightingaleJen]

I'm always out there visiting the birds, even in our heat & humidity. (Then I come back into the house desperate for some water!) It's such fun to watch them and their antics. Plus I check at least once or twice a day for pasty butt and things like that. Hubby isn't out there as much, actually, and you can kind of tell by how they respond to him! They're much more accustomed to my presence.

@KDOGG331, we are actually planning to use the deep litter method anyhow. Guess it doesn't hurt to get used to the idea now...!

@RobertaD1 Ha! It is funny, I am very organized and keep the house spic and span. People think we've lived here only a few months or something, it's hilarious! But by the time I was 7 or 8 I was able to clean our entire house, along with my little sister; it was just kind of our job. *shrug* Paid off, I'd say. Also, at parties, which I really don't enjoy? Half the time I end up reorganizing people's cupboards and bookshelves in my head. Actually...maybe this is a disease...

@Molly Mojo I don't mind doing it, Hubby is probably mostly worried about my health and energy levels. It is fun to be out with the chicks, listening to their peeping and tapping and silliness. They are good for mental health, I agree with that! Only a week old today, and I honestly think some already have their own little personality traits. It is fascinating to see.