Help! Smelly Brooder

[MrsWeasley]

I'm using pine shavings for bedding. I change it every day, and my whole house still smells like a barn! I only have 5 chicks.

 

[eggorthechicken]

I use pine shavings too and seems like when it gets wet...it's starts to stink. I put mine in my basement. When I do change the bedding I completely wash out the brooder box they are in. I sprinkle sweet PDZ in the bottom and then put the bedding on top. Actually I use 2 big rubber maid bins for newly hatched chicks...and I alternate them back and forth. That seems to help. May check the kind of feed also...I changed mine and it seemed to help as well.

 

[khoe]

Mine started smelling yesterday and I realized it was getting wet. Yuck.

 

[Okie Girl]

Our Feed Store where we got our chicks told us not to use shavings, hay, or straw. They suggested layers of newspaper. We took them up on their suggestion and have never had a smelly brooder. Chicks are now holder and beginning to scratch. We have to change the newspaper every 3-4 days. The chicks like to shred it.

 

[OhioClucker]

I will put my chicks outside (when it's warm) for a few hours. My brooder is simply a large plastic tote. I will put water and a small amount of white vinegar in it to soak the bottom. Then rinse out well. I haven't noticed a smell, and we use pine shavings.

 

[sanmar4chickens]

Layer of sweet pdz stall refresher and some small sized pine shavings ....super dupper solution.

 

[deesmilkman]

Put news paper down first then put shavings. i change mine every 4 days and ive got 28 3 week old chicks.

 

[madwomn]

SAND. It will never stink, even if it's wet, and it's really easy to clean. Not to mention that the babies are hilarious when they figure out how to scratch and dust bathe. The only drawback is that it can be heavy.

 

[eggorthechicken]

Oh I never thought of sand but I bet that's funny! I used sweet PDZ too and it does help.

 

[DuluthHomestead]

This is my first time with chicks but I am a big fan of sand as bedding. Almost no smell at all. I scoop out the poop every day with a "reptile scoop" from the pet store (it's like a kitty litter scoop but with smaller mesh.)