Keeping brooder clean

[sunnie7]

I have 15 almost 3 week old keets and I’m keeping them in a XL dog crate I. My garage right now. Someone suggested I use old towels for the “bedding” but I’m having a hard time keeping it clean and not having to throw away the towel everyday! I tried lining it with paper towels but yeah that didn’t work! I was using a regular waterer but they were making an mess with that so I switched to two nipple waterers but they too make a mess with it but they do seem to enjoy using them!!! Any suggestions? Am I doing something wrong?! Also it’s hanging in the 80s-low 90’s in the day time and high 60’s at night. Should I still be keeping heat on them in the day?

 

[Mvan42]

The heat light shouldn’t be needed. They should be almost feathered by now. As for keeping the brooder clean no matter what with that many it will need cleaned often. Do you have a coop for them? In those temps they would be fine out doors. Mine are 4 weeks and out in the big coop with the flock and have been for a week now.

 

[Spartan22]

At 3 wks old and with that kind of temps, I normally wean them off the heat and should be on bigger outside containment.

 

[sunnie7]

I have an 8X8 wooden shed that I’m hoping to have done in the next couple weeks! It’s built we just have to put in windows and vents. I have 2 windows to put in and my husband was going to put some roof vents in. Will that be enough?! At what point do they start using roosts?

 

[Spartan22]

I have an 8X8 wooden shed that I’m hoping to have done in the next couple weeks! It’s built we just have to put in windows and vents. I have 2 windows to put in and my husband was going to put some roof vents in. Will that be enough?! At what point do they start using roosts?

If you had given them places to roost they learn to do that on their own as early as the first week, the ones I have that we’re raised by a broody hen we’re roosting @3-5 feet by 2.5 wks olds.