When to change brooder bedding

[bobchristenson]

Our first week as chick-herders is under our belt. We've got the girls (4 of them) in a 20" x 30" rubbermaid, so it's probably a bit more room than they needed in their first week.

I've got about 2" of wood shavings in the brooder and the "Chick Days" book I'm using as a guide says to clean it out around day 5. I'm wondering if this is really necessary so soon? I stir the bedding once a day and it seems pretty dry.

Can I do a 'deep bedding' method in the brooder (add some more bedding, stir it up, etc) or, since they're so young and more sensitive to issues, should I actually clean all the bedding out and put in new?

I want to keep my girls healthy but also don't want to throw away bedding that still seems perfectly good.

At what point do you change brooder bedding completely? When it looks/smells like it needs it? A little guidance would be wonderful.

Thanks!

 

[nivtup]

I go with the "When it looks/smells like it needs it"

 

[ragerkid2]

I clean my brooder out once a day. But it's located in my bedroom and it a 50 gal container. I'm looking into getting a bigger one. Or just a box.

 

[mikecnorthwest]

We use the bedding pellets which are pretty absorbent so we would only spot clean as an area became messy. In 6 to 8 weeks of brooding we never completely change out the bedding. If it's dry, not smelling bad, and the chicks are clean, then don't worry about it. I would make sure that the waterer and feeder and always clean.

 

[dreamer5577]

When they're littler I sometimes go a whole week. But when they're older .. I find I need to clean it once a day to avoid the smell.

 

[ragerkid2]

I should rephrase myself, when they are young, i normally go 2 sometimes 3 days. But, once they hit 3 weeks. It's every day.

 

[Katieasaur]

I have always done it once a day just to inhibit the grow of bacteria in case someone pecks themselves to hard and gets a cut, no infections please
plus I am slightly overzealous at times when it come to my animals

 

[Hoosierchickens]

I go with the "When it looks/smells like it needs it"

This is what I do. I replaced the wood chips in my rubbermaid brooder similar in size to yours but with 12 chicks after a couple weeks. They are now in a cattle trough in the garage and I do a deep litter method and they are doing just fine.

 

[uptail]

I have 12 baby chicks in a large cardboard box a new bathtub came in previously. I found I have to change the bedding once every two days at a minimum. Most likely because I have many more little mouths (and butts!) in mine. lol

 

[primalchick]

Keep in mind that I'm a newbie to chicks, but mine are almost 3 weeks old and I completely clean mine out and replace the bedding every second day. Might seem like a lot but they are in the house right now and I want to keep the smell down. I think I could go longer if I wanted to and they'd be fine.