Shavings in brooder - how do you keep them out of the water?!

[KellyHM]

I switched my babies (now 10 days old) over to shavings a few days ago. They're great b/c I don't have to change towels all the time, but I can NOT keep them out of the water! And the food for that matter. I have the regular chick feeders w/ the red bottoms and jugs on the top. I am digging shavings out of the bottom of them at least 3-4 times per day! What do you DO to remedy this?

 

[Jessika]

I put a brick in the brooder and set my water thing on top of that. They still can get into...but way less likely for flying shavings (from lil chicks scratching) to enter their water.

 

[KellyHM]

Ok, I'll try that! Now another question...when I fill up the feeder they just scratch at it until it's all on the floor, other than the stuff in the very bottom that they can't reach with their feet. Ideas on that? LOL I feel like they waste so much!

 

[mjdtexan]

Quote:
how come you used towels for the first 10 days. I aint saying you shouldnt, I am new to this, are we not supposed to use shavings at first?

 

[KellyHM]

I used towels at first so I could just sprinkle some food on the floor and let them find it, so they could get use to it before I put it in the feeder. I switched them over at about 6 days, but would have done it sooner if I hadn't been putting off buying the shavings. LOL

 

[Jessika]

mjdtexan: You can have a higher percentage of spradle legs (what my kids call the wobblies) because the shavings are harder to get a good foot hold on. You want their legs and standing skill to be good before you throw hurdles at them. I have done it both ways and I have only had spradle legs once (when I put them on shavings). I do paper towels for the first 2 days myself...then go to shavings.


KellyHM: Do you have the feeder with the little holes in it? I put that on a brick too. Just make sure it is secure as best you can. A bad balance job and it will come crashing down on them....same as the water. I put bricks kind of in the middle so no one can get stuck in a back corner and all chicks can to to all sides of it.

 

[KellyHM]

Yes, I have the ones with the little holes. Hopefully when their feet get a little bigger they won't be able to scratch as much out! I'll try the bricks...I have a few sitting around outside. Thanks!

 

[crazyhen]

How do you leep the shavings clean. It seems the paper towels are eassier to remove and replace. Also is it safe to put sweet PDZ under the shavings to neutralize the ammonia that they create. I can't get the De. locally. The feed store owners look at me like I am crazy. Jean

 

[Jessika]

I have never used DE or any od that stuff. I just put a lil shavings in....if they get a little wet I add more shavings..but every other day I dump out all the shavings and put a sprinkle of new in there. I use a big Rubbermaid container so it's easy to dump. I keep 2 or more containers empty that way I can set up a new one with shavings, put the chicks in the new one, and then I go clean out their old one so it can be put in waiting for them to need that one again. I cycle them.

 

[debilorrah]

The only way I have found to keep their stuff out of the water is to clean it out yourself! And for feed, we bought one of those round things with the holes for their beaks in it. That worked good for a couple weeks til they got so BIG only 3 could fit around it! Gosh they grow fast!