keeping chicks clean

[graggy]

I have 5 buff orpingtons that are only 10 days old. I'm keeping them in a plastic container I got from walmart. It is 105 quart or 30"x16" container. I use newspaper on the floor and chage it twice a day. It still gets pretty messy. The chicks get poop stuck on the end of there toes from walking around in it. Is this ok? I feel like I'm not cleaning the box out enough or is this normal. Is there something else I could put on the floor that would keep the poop off them better? thanks

 

[domino7]

I just use pine shavings. and add to it every few days to freshen it up. I keep the waterer on a brick to keep the shavings out of it. It does get pretty dusty though.

 

[Ms Chirps' Chooks]

Several ideas that work for raising a small number of chicks inside:

Use an appliance box (refrigerator box turned on its side is great or a dryer box) with sides cut 18" to 24" high. Tape up any openings. Line the bottom with 7 - 10 layers of newspaper. Then cover the paper with 2" or more of wood shavings and / or pine pellets.

I found the box at my local appliance store. Note: the local Home Depot said their appliances were shipped from a regional warehouse so they couldn't provide any. Lowe's said they have boxes in the late afternoon after morning deliveries.

I found the wood shavings on CraigsList for free plus got some from local woodworkers (schools, lumber yards, etc.)

Chicks love dusting and scratching in the wood shavings ... but the chicken waterer acts as a magnet to the shavings! We did two things to help the problem of messy waterers.

Switch to nipple waterers. We're using the push-in type ordered from QC Supply (on-line). Drill a hole in a one-gallon heavy plastic bottle (translucent is better to see the water level) and push the nipple in. Add the chick vitamins to the water and suspend the bottle over the box. Some chicks learn quickly to peck the nipple. Then others follow. We found that as a treat, they still really like the baby chick waterer, even now at 6 weeks old! While you wait for the nipples to arrive, raising the waterer on a 2" block of wood will keep some shavings out of the dish.

Switching to pine pellets (even if just in the water area) offers a big relief. These are sold at the local feed store as bedding for horses. They cost about $6 or $7 dollars for a 50 pound bag. They are pelletized sawdust and work amazingly well.

This method works well for just a few chicks., especially in a pinch ... if it's late winter and too cold outside, or the brooder / coop isn't ready. However, we later received 25 chicks from a hatchery. We found after 2 to 3 weeks, they appreciated moving to an area bigger than a refrigerator box! We set up an area in our garage ... 7' by 7', cardboard sides and bottom all taped together to limit any drafts, similar litter layers, water and feeders. Now we can introduce limestone and diatomaceous earth to keep the litter smelling sweet and inhibit any bugs. We found these too dusty to use inside!

Sorry for the wordiness length! Hope this helps! We are really enjoying our chicks and hope you enjoys yours, too!

Ms. Chirp