Clean, Dry And Warm Brooder

Big Clean-up Day for Brooder

Wow, little chicks make a big mess...big!!!!! They not only poop a lot but they constantly spill and splash their water everywhere. You will need to do daily cleaning of the brooder such as changing bedding and cleaning any obvious gunk (and chicks produce a lot of gunk).  And then there is the big weekly cleanup of the brooder! This will have to happen weekly till they move permanently to their coop and run (and cleaning the coop is a whole different learning experience)!

We moved chicks into large cardboard box, temporarily, for the brooder cleaning. The box or whatever you choose to put them in, while cleaning the brooder, should be up to the same temp as the brooder before they go in. It's important to maintain the correct temp for the chicks while they are in another temporary area. Sudden change in temp for chicks is another big stressor for them!

Fun for chicks...?

New stuff to peck at!

The Plastic bin brooder is scrubbed very well using a lot of water and a little vinegar or baking soda. Do not use anything toxic to clean ...even if you think you will have no problem rinsing it all out. At this age the chicks are just to susceptible too everything.

The feed and water containers will need to be cleaned and refilled several times a day for the first few weeks. As they get older you will move to bigger containers for food and water and they will need to be still need to be cleaned and refilled daily but the number of times will depend on the chicks themselves, how much food and water they go through and how much 'fun' they have playing in it!

Thoroughly clean the thermometer and any little toys they might already have (I can't stress cleanliness enough)!  Dry everything well with a towel.  If the sun is out and you have time set it all outside. Leave it for as long as you can...sun is a great antibacterial agent.

From chicks to grown up chickens cleanliness of their living area can't be stressed enough!

Liz-