North Carolina

[marlowmanor]

No matter what you use the dust is going to get worse and worse as they grow. Between the feather dander, poop dust, and everything else you only get more as the babies get bigger.

Matt

I'm betting the chicks will be going to an outdoor brooder in a week or 2. Just have to wait on the younger ones to feather out a little more. The older ones are feathered in pretty good so far. The pine smell is what seems to be bothering me lately, I think it's time to chage the bedding though. That's something to try to get done tomorrow. Just have to get the shop vac in the house since the pine shavings clog my regular vacuum.

 

[mayberrygirl]

Pine pellets work pretty good in a brooder.

 

[marlowmanor]

I think I will try some hay when I change bedding tomorrow. If that works like we want we may stay with that. We may try to get some pine pellets this weekend to try too.

 

[scottcaddy]

Quote:

I also use horse hay here

But then again I don't do the chicks in the house (BG) so I don't worry too much about a bit of a mess, and all birds are dusty, big or little, just dust making critters!
Scott

 

[marlowmanor]

I also use horse hay here

But then again I don't do the chicks in the house (BG) so I don't worry too much about a bit of a mess, and all birds are dusty, big or little, just dust making critters!
Scott

The bird dander isn't bothering me. It's the mess on the floor from the pine shavings that get through the HWC because the chicks are digging and scratching in it all the time. If we had a barn, basement or garage I'm betting we would use it for brooding. Unfortunately we don't have any of those so we have to brood in the house. We will likely be making some modifications to the brooder at some point too.

 

[MaryRuthLangdon]

The bird dander isn't bothering me. It's the mess on the floor from the pine shavings that get through the HWC because the chicks are digging and scratching in it all the time. If we had a barn, basement or garage I'm betting we would use it for brooding. Unfortunately we don't have any of those so we have to brood in the house. We will likely be making some modifications to the brooder at some point too.

For a brooder... I use large plastic totes... with a hole cut in the top... to hang the light down through. We line the bottom with newspaper with paper towels on top. It is very easy to keep clean....

 

[TheRookie]

Does anyone in NC breed Splash Silkies? Hopefully someone going to Chickenstock? If you know of anyone, please PM me. Thanks.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Mary - I do the same. I would never think to keep chicks in a wire cage indoors. I use plastic totes, either cut a small window type hole and 2 sides and ziptie screen or Hardware cloth to it, or drill some 1/2 - 1" diameter holes for air flow and ventilation. hole and screen on top and light. Best brooders.

Best advice - clean a brooder everyday no less than every other day. will cut back on smell BIG time, and cleanliness/disease issues as well.

 

[marlowmanor]

For a brooder... I use large plastic totes... with a hole cut in the top... to hang the light down through. We line the bottom with newspaper with paper towels on top. It is very easy to keep clean....

We started with that but they were outgrowing it. 10 chicks in a 30 gal (I think) tub didn't work for long. We modified a large changing table so they had more room. I'm sure we will figure out some way to solve the problem. It may just be a situation of adding screen wire to the inside.
Here is our brooder

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

Marlow get a couple 1X4s and tack to the inside, and then put a layer of plastic at the very bottom to lap over the 1X4s. that way you can easily clean out shavings without them kicking much if any out, and if you need to or can - you can just pull up plastic and throw away in a bunch (like those kitty litter liner thingies?)
I did something very similar for a big outdoor grow out last year when it was still quite cold in March with 20+ babies