Meat Chick 6 days old

[MeatKing]

Hi everyone this is my first time getting chickens, right now there in a great big oval box. with 2 waterers and one feeder(30 chicks). Some of them are sitting on the feeder and pooping in it. Went out this morn, and it was filled with shavings and poop. is this because there's no roust (sorry can't spell it) their only 6 days old... thought thay'd be to young to do this? Should i find a nice stick to out in there for them to sit on?
Also what is the proper way to clean the feeder? I'm thinking hot soapy water, than let it air dry, really well... Didn't do this this moring cause they were starving and wanting more food,,, So I emptied the shaving and took just a dry rag and took the poop out (there was just two piles after dumping it) Wonder if I should put a second feeder in there?
Thanks everyone, would love to hear any feed back.....

 

[Judy]

Put the feeder up on a brick or something; they will not kick so many shavings into it. Keep it up at the height of their back. No, they don't really need a roost. Cornish X usually won't roost anyway. Two feeders would probably be a good idea for that many chicks.

 

[MeatKing]

Thank-you so much. Great idea, going to look for a brick or something, and going to go to store to buy a second feeder. Have a great day!

 

[jaku]

Yep, put the feeders and waterers up a bit. Yes, they will poop in and climb in both. I would avoid giving them a roost. Even if they use it, they will still use the other stuff as well. Plus, they are just messy and will kick bedding into both even if they aren't roosting on it. A little tip though- if you worry about cleaning the poo off of that stuff to the extent that you're washing it, you'll burn yourself out on meat birds fast. When my birds poo in their food, I just scrape it out and put the feeder back down. In the water, just dump poo-ed water out of the bottom, let it fill with clean water, swish it around once, dump that out, then put it back down. When they get older, you'll find that they quite enjoy eating their poo directly off the ground too.