Lots of chicks, how often to change bedding

[7AcreOrganics]

We have 33 chicks in our brooder cage, it can easily handle 50 or more, but normally we only have 10 or so in it...is there a rule of thumb on how often to change the bedding? Its a chicken wire and wood cage, with some cardboard and pine shavings. Thanks

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

Your nose and your eyes will tell you.
If it looks dirty or smells, change it.
It really depends on how crowded they are. If they have plenty of room, you won't have to clean it out as often. There is no set rules.
Is the bottom solid or wire? I have some that are wire, and after a week or so, I open up 1/2 of it, so I don't have to clean it as often. By 3 weeks, they are just on the wire, until I get them on the ground.

Jean

 

[7AcreOrganics]

The bottom is wire, but we cover it with cardboard, then load it with pine shavings. So they really only are on shavings. It does not smell but i dont want germs or disease to develop. About how many days to let it go? Change it...every couple days...?

 

[MiniDriver]

I have mine on about 4 inches of shavings. I stir every day and add some clean shavings. I do a complete brooder cleaning once a week.

They poop a lot.

 

[Azure]

We keep ours in the brooder on cotton tea towels for the first few days and change them every few hours, now they are on newspaper which we redo when it needs it, probably 3 times a day when we feed them. In a couple of weeks they will go onto shavings and straw but at this young age they just eat shavings or sawdust lol and clog up.

 

[7AcreOrganics]

From what i read, newspaper is really bad...do a search for it in the topics

 

[Chirpy]

I agree that using newspaper isn't a good idea. They can get spraddle leg (I think that's what it's called).

Most people put their chicks on shavings covered with towels or paper towels for a few days. Once they are eating well from the feeder you can take the towels away and just let them be on the shavings.

As far a cleaning ... as mentioned just let your nose and eyes by your guide.

 

[Azure]

Oops should've said these are poults, thats why they are on tea towels to get their feet so no spraddle, I agree that chick chicks can eat newspaper lol, which can cause problems.

 

[Must Be Losing It]

I use dried crushed corn huskings and its great!! I change about once per week. It absorbs everything and doesn't smell.

 

[peruvian_princess]

Yeah if it stinks and looks nasty change it.