Litter question

[atropa]

I have an old sheet covering the shavings but it's getting poopy fast. How often do I need to change it? Better yet, when can I remove it and just let them be on the shavings? I got them yesterday morning, and they seem to be fine with eating. I did catch them playing with/fighting over a shaving yesterday that they dug up somehow but I don't think they were going to eat it. Thanks!

 

[speckledhen]

You can also put layers of paper towels over the shavings a couple more days-easier to deal with than a sheet. OR, you can just remove the sheet and see how they do. They will eat some shavings, but not too many.

 

[karmical]

I used paper towels on top of pine shavings for the first five days or so with my baby chicks...at that point I was sure they knew what was food and what wasn't and it was about the same time I seemed to have to change the paper towels a couple times a day to keep things from getting too smelly (of course, how fast things get too poopie depends on how many chicks you've got and how much floor space in the brooder).

They did eat the shavings here and there, but not so much to have affected their nutrition. They're 7 weeks old now and I STILL catch them eating shavings here and there even now that they're out in their coop!

Also, I think the paper towels are a help to their little legs as they get their balance and strength those first few days. They can grab on.

 

[atropa]

Well, I did take the sheet out but laid the straw down that they were packed in over the shavings. It's in what I would describe as sheets that are tied together, not loose. I thought tomorrow I would flip the sheets over and the next day take them out. That way they'll have clean straw but by the time they use both sides and I take it out they may not eat the shavings

 

[ginasmarans]

You know, I quit using shavings completly. I put several layers of newspaper down, then cover it with the stronger paper shop towels. They are blue, come in a roll like paper towels and don't cost all that much. The chicks are fine on it and clean up is easier. I don't have to worry about trash in the water and feed.