What to do with chicks when cleaning brooder

[vetemty3147]

We have 16 chicks, about 2-3 weeks old (we have 12 that are 3 weeks old and 4 that are 2 weeks old). I'm curious what others do to contain their chicks when cleaning. I don't have a room I can shut them in, and they fly out of any boxes I have.

 

[peopleRanimals2]

You could put them in a box with some chicken wire or something similar over the top, or you could have someone else put them back in the box every time they fly out. On warm days when they are older, they could spend a little time outside in the coop. Have fun with your chicks!

 

[Louise Waffles]

I had a rubbermaid tote with a piece of plastic lattice cut to sit on top, with shavings in the bottom. If they were too rambunctious, I'd put a towel on top.
You could use binder clips to fasten a towel/sheet/whatever over your box to keep them contained.
I later set up an inflatable pool as a brooder, and them I just got in there with them to clean it.

 

[MrsMopar]

I have many many layers of newsprint on the floor of my brooder, covered by a layer of pine chips. When it's time to clean, i remove all the stumps and feeders and things and i clean them all up and set them aside. Starting at one end, i take the top couple of pieces of paper and i start rolling. The dirty shavings get rolled up in the paper. I roll a little and i gently pull it all toward me and i roll a little more. The chicks are at the opposite end from me. They wind up on a clean sheet of newsprint because everything else has been pulled out from under them. Then i put all the cleaned items and fresh bedding back in. I read this somewhere, tried it, and i love it!

 

[MrsMopar]

For newsprint, i buy the unused end rolls from my local newspaper. Great for kids to color on....or cut into rectangles for the brooder.

 

[MigraineMan]

Mop bucket. (We will likely resurrect the original green tote brooder when they get a little bigger, and just swap-over the wire shelf lid.)

 

[lazy gardener]

If I don't have a lot of chicks, I use a paper bag from the grocery store. But, mostly, I use a deep litter when brooding chicks. Simply top off the existing shavings. There is no odor if you keep things dry. It's wet shavings and poo/feed that stink.

 

[donrae]

I"m with LG, I don't clean the brooder as a rule. But if/when I need to move chicks, I use any old box I have on hand. I've been known to use an empty soda carton, like a 12 pack, to hold chicks while doing the Chickie Shuffle from brooder to grow out pen. Little chicks can fit in cereal boxes

. You need something with a lid, so they don't fly out as you've mentioned. I've also used those decorative popcorn tins everyone gives at Christmas, they work well for smaller chicks. A plastic tote with a lid will do just fine for as long as you need to clean a brooder, shouldn't take ten minutes or so.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have my chicks trained to a cat carrier for transporting them. That would work well to hold them on cleaning day.

 

[BYCforlife]

I have a rubbermade bin for 16 chicks I am getting next month, should I make the lid into some kind of a chicken wire lid with a hole for the heater?