Its official--THEY STINK!

[cheri222]

My 5 babies will be 4 weeks on monday and they are getting huge and stink. Yes I change their shavings 2x daily and take them out for play time. Their brooder is a tub in the bathtub(finally found a use for the sunken wp tub). The bathroom is 12x8 and has a large window. I changed out the heat light for a mini fan as the it has averaged 80 to mid 90's. They seem happy and healthy so I guess thats the most important thing.

 

[elaucht]

put them outside in the hen house. they are old enough, or make a extra nursery for them outside. that you can move around. you don't want to have chicken poo in the house.

 

[pgpoultry]

I agree with getting them outside.
Chicken poop smells awful. The chicks don't mind, but your family might,

Sandie

 

[justbugged]

I tossed my babies that are about 4 weeks old a couple of days ago. They went into the coop tonight. Hey the babies are now real chicks. There poops are to big at this stage to have them in the house. The dander can't be good for any one living in the house either.

 

[MakNugget]

I had my girls indoors for 12 weeks and used the deep litter method in my 2x4x2 brooder (3 hens). I only swapped out bedding once, which wasn't necessary really had I just kept adding.

The most important thing for me was to keep it dry as possible. Can't recall for sure but I think I had them on a nipple waterer by 6-8 weeks after being tired of changing water multiple times a day. Should have done it sooner. Food and water (before nipple) were raised on blocks and screwed down to reduce contamination.

Keep adding bedding to help dry out the poop or add some DE sparingly since it's indoors.

The girls have been outside for 2 weeks now in fresh deep litter and the old stuff is in the compost tumbler doing it's thing.

 

[cheri222]

Well Id love to put them out, but the coop won't be finished for 1 more week. Also the cochins still arent even 1/2 feathered. I'd swear they are partially silkie with their big fuzzy butt's and heads. I think today we will build a small tractor for them. I would love to work on the coop, but dh would kill me. It is his project and ....He is building a shed roofed addition on to a one car garage at the back of the property. The high point is 8or 9 feet up. He really does a good job but is slow and accurate. Maybe the stink will motivate him. Bathroom fan, open window and box fan will have to do for now.

 

[gryeyes]

I used the deep litter method even in the brooder. Honestly, there's very little smell. Add a little food grade DE to the pine shavings, toss a handful of shavings over any fresh poop, and add several hands full each week. Don't change it out - the deeper litter dries up the poo. You DO have to deal with water mess right away, which is why I use nipple waterers in the brooder on the third or fourth day and from then on out.

The chicks love to scratch in the pine shavings, and dig depressions in it, dust bathe in it, and you only dump out the accumulation when the chicks go outside and you're done with the brooder.

 

[Lesalynn]

Hey Cheri, my man is a carpenter, and he is fussy about HIS projects for MY chickens, too, lol. Best way to get him motivated???? hehehe (BYC needs a horned smiley

) I grab power tools and head on out there. Never seen a man move so fast

Good luck with your fuzzes.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

LOL Lesa! That is exactly how I do it! All ya gotta do is touch a man's power tools to get him moving.

 

[Tomhusker]

I use Deep Litter in my little "Tote" brooder. A of table spoon of oatmeal a couple times a day and the 4 chicks keep it well mixed. I do use a little DE an change it a couple times a week.