What do you put in the bottom of your brooder?

[goodleg]

And how do you clean it. These babies sure poop ALOT!!!

Thanks.

 

[Country Gal]

I used wood shavings, similar to what would be used in a guinea pig or hamster cage. I found that the easiest way to "clean" it was to just put more on top rather than trying to empty the old stuff out first.

 

[OHChick]

i'm no expert (just got my chicks Monday), but i put wood shavings (had some left that i wasn't using for horse stalls).

problem with mine, the poop blends in! i can't see it. i thought they were pooping or i was just looking for the wrong thing. but
now i can find it out (sort of).

i tried to use the shop vac to suck up the poopy shavings the first day but it clogged (yes! i took the chicks out first, didn't want to suck them up). so i just used an old broom's dust pan, and scraped the poopy shavings out and dumped them into the trash.

good luck.

 

[schmoo]

My chicks are now 11 days old. I use a medicated purina start and grow feed. So I never thought I needed "grit"

When my chicks were 1-3 days old I used paper towel (so they wouldn't slip) I learned that from the great people here. I just covered up the poo with NEW paper towel for 3 days. I only used one big roll. Then they really started pooing ALOT (around 4 days old) I switched to pine shavings.

Before that I removed all the paper towel, pine is much better and easier. I try to pick off the poos that I see and then throw on more shavings. The babies started picking at it and I didn't THINK they were eating it but I guess I was wrong. A day or 2 after I switched they started a weird little cough type thing - like clearing their throat or something. I think they were eating a bit of the shavings.

SO then I decided to give them a little grit just to see what they would do. They LOVED it and went crazy and the "cough" went away. I think they were eating the pine and choking a little.........JMO
I just give them 26 of them BTW a little grit on a paper plate once a day. I swear it made the "cough" go away -who knows? I gave them 2 hard boiled yokes yesterday and they went nuts! As long as they had grit I figured why not spoil 'em?!

Sorry about the rambling.........no other way to tell it

 

[SkeeredChicken]

Pine shavings....as alotta people do. I try to change it about twice a week. Get's smelly, if you dont

 

[Poison Ivy]

When I use the rubbermade container I use corn cob litter. I really like it and they can't eat it. Plus its not messy like shavings and doesn't fly out all over the place either.

 

[SkeeredChicken]

Pine shavings....as alotta people do. I try to change it about twice a week. Get's smelly, if you dont

 

[dangerouschicken]

Pine shavings are excellent in the brooder and in the coop. Never use cedar shavings, though. It is toxic to chickens.

 

[barg]

Quote:
What do you mean when you say they "can't eat it", when I raised parrots you couldnt give them cob because they would eat it and it swelled up.
I'm Not saying you are wrong, and I hope the tone doesnt read that way, but I have limeted experience with chickens and want to know, Will chicks Not eat it?

 

[webdawg]

I'm going to try all purpose sand in my coop and use a kitty litter scoop to clean it.