Poopy Smell

[werttyy]

My three 3 week old chicks are really pooping! The smell is awful!!
They are in a medium sized dog crate with about 2 and a half inches of wood shavings that I change once a week.
Even if I change the shavings in the morning, by night, the brooder stinks!
Could I move them outside now?
Any experiences you want to share?
Advice greatly appreciated

 

[mcjessen]

This may sound gross but I've noticed that the runny poops smell way worse than the solid ones. My only advice would be to make sure the shavings are dry and continue to "spot" clean daily. The chicks may not have enough room in the dog crate. I did notice that when mine started to outgrow their brooder and I moved them into something a little larger, the smell was reduce. We have our brooders in the garage though. I can imagine if you have yours in the house you'd be able to smell the chickens a lot more.

Unless your chicks are fully feathered out, I wouldn't move them outside yet unless it's to a garage or something similar. But on the other hand, I don't know where you live. It's still in the 30's at night here and I wouldn't dare move 3 week olds outside yet. But that's just me. I spoke with an "old timer" chicken farmer who raised his outside since birth and had no problems.

 

[YYZ]

That smell is terrible. I hear ya !

 

[teach1rusl]

With only three chicks, I would spot clean daily. You might try (with the chicks removed) sprinkling a little food grade DE into their bedding (if brooder is well ventilated). As long as thier coop is draft free and suitable for the safe hanging of a heatlamp, I don't see why they couldn't go now. Mine went to their little coop at three weeks (w/a heat lamp of course).

 

[Nicole01]

I clean out the brooders several times a day. I scoop out the poop. The 7 week olds are easier to clean since they are bigger. These gals keep knocking the waterer over and getting the pine wet. That stinks the most. I'm putting mine out in the coop tomorrow since they are fully feathered. 3 weeks is a bit young and they could catch pnemounia.

 

[silkiechicken]

Move em out!

Mine move outside to their brooder a few days old. Just keep it draft free and warm, no reason to stink up the house and coat everything in fine dust.