Well, I redid the brooder area and added the sandbox.

[SplendidDogFeet]

Somehow, even though I doubled the size, it doesn't look any bigger because of the sand box. And they refuse to use the helpful, gentle stairs and keep throwing themselves off the sides, which is making me super nervous because that's a 6.5" drop. They are around 11 days old at this point. I redid the pen and cleaned everyone's feet that needed it (figured it's the only way I'll know if the sand box is helpful) in the evening, then put everyone in the new space. Of course, they all just crammed into one corner and started a poop fest. Tried putting a few in the sand box, and of course they came flying back out. I finally realized I stupidly had the overhead light on still (I never turn it on in there- they have natural light from a window that I figure keeps their circadian rhythm good), so I put all the keets and chicks under the brooder plate and rushed the light off, and came back and just blocked the sides with my arms. Should I temporarily put cardboard to block the sides until the learn the stairs? I'm going to move the food container to right in front of the stairs so they can see it there and hopefully be drawn in that direction. Now I have to get some enrichment items in there. It's so barren with just the mirrors. What are your favorite chick enrichment items?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I think they will be fine. Probably won't use the stairs, but it's a nice touch for the sandbox.

I'd move the brooder plate out of the sandbox and just let it exist on its own, they will climb, jump and explore given time.

I wouldn't block any areas off, let them move about as they please.

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

I think they will be fine. Probably won't use the stairs, but it's a nice touch for the sandbox.

I'd move the brooder plate out of the sandbox and just let it exist on its own, they will climb, jump and explore given time.

I wouldn't block any areas off, let them move about as they please.

I specifically built the box for the plate because everybody's feet have been getting caked with poo overnight. I stupidly realized AFTER everything was done that chickens use ramps and not stairs. I may try to affix some kind of ramp on top of the stairs. Sometimes I am such a bonehead.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I specifically built the box for the plate because everybody's feet have been getting caked with poo overnight. I stupidly realized AFTER everything was done that chickens use ramps and not stairs. I may try to affix some kind of ramp on top of the stairs. Sometimes I am such a bonehead.

Oh, I thought the sandbox was for dust bathing

They are old enough now, you can add some shavings under the brooder plate, this will help keep the feet cleaner.

Chicks get poop on their feet all the time.

Even with a ramp, chicks like to jump and fly instead of walk, they will be fine hopping around in and out of the sandbox.

I'm surprised they haven't flown out of the enclosure yet

 

[rosemarythyme]

At this age I'd scrap the pee pads and just put down the litter/substrate of your choice. No need for a raised platform of sand or to stress them by trying to contain them in a smaller area.

I specifically built the box for the plate because everybody's feet have been getting caked with poo overnight. I stupidly realized AFTER everything was done that chickens use ramps and not stairs.

This is not true, chickens actually take to steps better than ramps. In this case, you're overcomplicating things. They don't need mini stairs or a mini ramp. A single brick is enough "step." Or as noted above, scrap the sandbox idea completely.

 

[SourRoses]

X3 on the shavings or pine pellets. Sometimes we use paper towels for newly hatched chicks, but after the second or third day they poop so often that it becomes a mess. You need the litter turn-over that happens when they move around to keep the poo off their feet.

As for heights... we have an outdoor brooder that I raised on some blocks so it's about 6 inches off the ground. I worried about the height and put a bunch of pine nugget mulch down to make a gentle slope. Of course, the broodies destroyed my careful landscaping in the first couple of days :/
The broody moms don't pay any attention to how their kids disembark when it's time to go out for the day. Babies fling themselves off and just flap their wings and run faster to keep their balance. Getting back home is easy with the help of flappers, they just have to want to get there.

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

Oh, I thought the sandbox was for dust bathing

They are old enough now, you can add some shavings under the brooder plate, this will help keep the feet cleaner.

Chicks get poop on their feet all the time.

Even with a ramp, chicks like to jump and fly instead of walk, they will be fine hopping around in and out of the sandbox.

I'm surprised they haven't flown out of the enclosure yet

They are just barely starting to get feathers

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

I appreciate everyone's responses. I've been told pretty specifically not to put Guinea keets under two weeks on shavings since they'll try to eat them, so I'm going with that. There won't be any shavings in the coop or run (it's all sand), either. Woke up to everyone having beautifully clean feet this morning.

 

[RoyalChick]

Somehow, even though I doubled the size, it doesn't look any bigger because of the sand box. And they refuse to use the helpful, gentle stairs and keep throwing themselves off the sides, which is making me super nervous because that's a 6.5" drop. They are around 11 days old at this point. I redid the pen and cleaned everyone's feet that needed it (figured it's the only way I'll know if the sand box is helpful) in the evening, then put everyone in the new space. Of course, they all just crammed into one corner and started a poop fest. Tried putting a few in the sand box, and of course they came flying back out. I finally realized I stupidly had the overhead light on still (I never turn it on in there- they have natural light from a window that I figure keeps their circadian rhythm good), so I put all the keets and chicks under the brooder plate and rushed the light off, and came back and just blocked the sides with my arms. Should I temporarily put cardboard to block the sides until the learn the stairs? I'm going to move the food container to right in front of the stairs so they can see it there and hopefully be drawn in that direction. Now I have to get some enrichment items in there. It's so barren with just the mirrors. What are your favorite chick enrichment items?

That is so cute! I may have to steal that next time I get chicks.
At that age mine are jumping up and off the top of their brooder plate so I would not worry at all.
I usually move mine out to the main coop at around 10 days (they are in a brooder built into the coop). The brooder area in the coop has a little branch mounted about 10” above the floor and they are so cute figuring how to get up there!

 

[SplendidDogFeet]

That is so cute! I may have to steal that next time I get chicks.
At that age mine are jumping up and off the top of their brooder plate so I would not worry at all.
I usually move mine out to the main coop at around 10 days (they are in a brooder built into the coop). The brooder area in the coop has a little branch mounted about 10” above the floor and they are so cute figuring how to get up there!

I definitely need some perches in there. I'm ashamed to say our coop and run aren't finished yet. We were going to get it all built right before the chicks came, but we got hit by weeks of storms and couldn't prep the land because the ground was too wet for the tractor. We just got the concrete poured for the coop today.