Sand in the brooder -- it's worth it!

[Tarac]

Well, Another great idea. Im using my extra water troughs as brooders in my garage. I have tons of sand I can scoop up for free at a few sand bars I know here in North Central Arkansas. Easily gotten and free. Thanks for this idea.

that's the deal where I am too- preh-storic sand dunes. Very nice sand although most of Florida is sand. I'm going to give it a try.

 

[chicken dad]

Bellatrixed,
I noticed you are sort of new to BYC just like I am. Just started with my first flock last April and I am learning as it goes and thanks to reading lots of posts here I have been able to make changes in my coops and runs to make things better for me and my girls. When you get to the point to move your chicks to the coop and if you decide to use sand and PDZ on the floor, I would suggest to get some nesting pads for bedding on your nesting boxes
http://www.eggcartons.com/category-s/1901.htm
I read in a post that they are great and clean. Right now I am using hay on my boxes but the girls drag some out which is not a big deal, it is just that there is always some poop on the floor and then you have to scoop the hay too. I have ordered some pads and they are on their way .

BTW I have been contemplating the idea of using sand in the brooder, I have been a little hesitant until I read your post. I am getting chicks in May so I will definetly use sand and PDZ after they learn what food look like. Thanks for your input

i built a roll away nest box because my chckens were starting to eat eggs. I got some of the nest pads and put in there. very easy to clean. just take them out and knock them againgst something to clean them. if really diry with poop or other things, just hose them down. girls don't seem to mind sitting on them.

 

[jimlas]

When you guys gave your chicks the hard boiled egg did you mash it all up until the yoke and white was all blended. It's easier for a baby bird to eat it this way.

Also, I am hatching out baby ducks right this very day and was wondering if sand would work for their brooder as well??

They do spill, or lose lots of water though when they drink so maybe not. Changing shavings 2-3 times a day isn't fun either )

 

[ready4thegirls]

I tried mashing the hard boiled egg up really well, they just ignored it. A few took some bites but they didn't seem interested at all.

I have to say, the chicks have been splashing and spilling a lot of water over the last 2 days since I took out the paper towels. I am using the little 1 quart waterer that most feed stores sell. It is making the sand very wet and it is impossible to sift it wet. Not sure how I am liking it so far and I was so excited to use the sand. I really don't want to use the chips but it may need to happen to keep bacteria from growing in the sand with the moist and warm conditions.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I have tried leaving a few layers of one square size paper towels under the waterer to soak up some of it and change that several times a day but it is still wet to the bottom which is about 2" deep. They are also having a merry time kicking their feed everywhere and bascially kick an entire quart into the sand everyday. These little stinkers are naughty! So cute though so one can't be aggrevated about it They have also started to fly so we had to lay a baby gate over the top to keep them in, so far that has worked great.

I guess we learn as we go, but I have to say raising baby chicks hasn't really been anything like what I was expecting. They grow so fast and get so naughty! At least they are playing well together and starting to get used to me holding them. I have also noticed the pecking order is taking place in a way. There is one bird that keeps a watch over the entire flock, at night when I check on them before I go to bed they are all snuggled up sleeping but she always wakes up and checks things out to make sure its all ok, I think she is the first one up as well but I can't be sure since there always seem to be a few roaming when I go check in. I am starting to wonder it she may be a he...I guess only time will tell.

 

[Doug Hodges]

How about trying a couple planter bottoms to sit the waterers in. Then rotating them out daily or as needed. Im going to use sand and you can be my guinea pig. LOL

 

[Bellatrixed]

How old are your chicks, ready4thegirls? I noticed that when my chicks were really young, they seemed much more unaware of their surroundings and would repeatedly walk through their waterer. Once they were a few weeks old they stopped that. Keeping planter bottoms under the waterers is a good idea! I let them mess up the sand (since it was easy enough to just shake the wet sand out through the scoop and disperse it again) but once they got to be bigger they were constantly kicking sand in the water, and I was having to change it repeatedly throughout the day. I fixed this by putting bricks in the brooder with the waterers on top, but I imagine anything you can set the waterers up on will help a bit.

I'm not sure why they won't eat the hard boiled egg! Mine go absolutely nuts for it.

Also, what sort of feeder are you using? They shouldn't be able to get inside it to kick the feed out! I can imagine what a nightmare that would be, lol!

 

[ready4thegirls]

The planter bottom is a great idea! I don't have any handy so I may just use a tupperware lid. The chicks are 1 week old. I noticed today they are not splashing into the water as much as they had been but it is still messy. They have started to scratch around and kick sand into the water but I just rinse it out with the waterer a few times a day and put it back in until it needs to be refilled.

I use just the typical 1 quart size chick feeder that everyone sells, they don't really go "into" it as much as sit on the edge and flick feed out. To be honest I am not really sure how they are doing it since I have only seen them kick it around a bit when they are walking around it.
I think they are just extra naughty when I leave the room!

The sand is starting to get much easier to handle. I have gotten most of the small pebbles out now so it is making it easier but the wet sand still sticks together to much so I just turn it over a few times a day to help it dry and sprkinle the dry sand over to loosen it up.

I gave up on giving them hard boiled eggs and tried grapes today. They still haven't touched them after a few hours. Guess they just don't like treats. I even cut them into halves and quarters to make them juicy but it doesn't seem to matter. I did try putting each beak onto the grape as a gesture so they would understand that it is food, and a few pecked at it a bit when I put them down but they still haven't really touched it. My Barred Rock started chasing my hand to peck at it when I am doing the "chores" which seems funny to me and kind of startled me at first to be honest, so I guess they prefer human treats!

 

[kada6305]

could I just use the repti sand alone without children's sand?

 

[RIArmySGT]

Just wanted to say thank for the idea, getting my ladies tomorrow, only 6 can't wait

 

[FriscoRaven]

could I just use the repti sand alone without children's sand?

I was wondering the same thing! I just want to put a small container in the brooder with sand, not sand the whole thing. Is repti sand safe without being mixed with play sand?