# Fecal matter ...



## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

I clean the brooder daily. My chicks sometimes get fecal matter stuck to their feet and it dries on there. I soak their feet and get it off, but today, three of my babies ended up with some bloody wounds down there. Nothing huge, but I'm worried having open wounds and walking in their feces throughout the day could cause infection. Any prevention ideas? I'm new to this, and I already love my babies so much I want to do what's best for them!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What are you using for bedding? That old wive's tale about shavings being dangerous is wrong. I always used it and never had an issue with feces sticking to my feather footed breeds.


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

I use shavings and straw, at least 4" thick.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

How are they getting those wounds? I don't think I've had an issue with poo on feet, especially in shavings. Is the broader big enough for them? Are you sure they don't have bloody poo on their feet?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And lose the straw. It's just not absorbent enough to keep the feces from getting stuck to their feet.

And I'm happy to learn more people don't accept that thing about shavings being dangerous for chicks.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

We used pine shavings, but were told that cedar shavings were toxic (?). I didn't have problems with yucky feet. I put sand in one corner for the chicks to scratch in.


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

It's a 2x4 brooder and they're 2 weeks old. The feces isn't bloody at all, loose but no mucus or blood. I'm at a loss here. I'll lose the hay, but they poo and then walk through it, obviously. Then it sticks to their wee toes.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

How many are in the brooder?


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

Ten, four consistently roost on perches, the other six cuddle. Any time I go in to see them they wake up and get excited, chirping up a storm at me. Should I get a bigger brooder?


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

I planned to upgrade their brooder as they got larger. Their wing feathers have come in, they've grown but are still tiny handfulls


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

Also, not bantams. 4 EEs, 4 Ameracauna and two Red Sex Links


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It's hard to know without seeing a pic of them in the brooder but it might be time to go bigger. Especially if you didn't have issues before this.


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

Here's a good pic of them.


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Have you taken out the straw yet? I tried straw this winter when I was brooding chicks out in the barn and it's nasty... might be warm but in a confined space like that it can get pretty gross pretty fast. On other beddign they eat a lot of their own poop the straw seems to make it difficult for them to see and it just builds up. They're not spilling their water are they? That could also contribute. I wouldn't worry too much about their feet as long as you're washing them off they should heal up fine. If the straw doesn't work it probably is time to go bigger.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

That is hay not straw.Hay is green and promotes mold.Hay is feed straw is bedding.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

That's a small space. They don't really have any where to go but in each other's poop unless you completely clean it daily. 

Either way, chicks are going to poop and they're going to walk in it. Then they walk in shavings, and the poop comes off. Then it's replaced by more poop. If they have enough room that they walk on shavings more than poop, then it won't cake to them. I've never had chicks with pristinely clean feet, and I've also never had chicks get open sores on their feet. The shavings really absorb the poo and as the chicks scratch and run through them it mixes it up so the poo is not really just sitting on top.


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

Thanks guys. I'll pick up a larger tub on my way home from work this evening. That was last night prior to switching to shavings.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

You might see if you can find an empty large appliance box. That's what we use. We made a water resistant bottom by taping the flaps that we cut off the box when we cut it down so we could reach the chicks and putting it in a trash bag. We taoed that on tight tge covered it with pine chips. It worked well.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Kiddie pools. Best brooders ever, hold lots of chicks for a long time, are easily cleaned and stored for next time.


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

New, roomy brooder!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Much better. You should see your issues disappear.


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

That's what I'm hoping for!


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Very nice! Good luck!


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