How clean is your nest?

Jo · New Member Joined: Aug 24, 2005 Posts: 4

Hi

A few weeks ago I posted a topic about eggs not hatching. Well after 29 days the first egg hatched and over the coming week all 7 hatched. Applause

They are about 2 1/2 weeks old now and all doing really well. The hen is looking after them brilliantly, so is the cock.

My concern at the moment is that the nest is getting a bit smelly and dirty. Is it ok to clean it out or will this upset the chicks and hen? Other people I have spoken to say I should leave the nest as it is cos if they were in the wild they wouldn't have a housekeeper coming in and cleaning!!

Any suggestions.

Many thanks
Jo

Steptoe · Site Admin Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 4550

Leave it, clean out when the chicks are weaned.

We have experimented with not cleaning out nests before the next batch
(keep in mind, we have no market and they will not be released in NZ into the wild so we can afford to)
The reasoning was the same as yours...they don't clean out in the wild.
We used NZ forest floor mulch. Birds where checked for worms etc before consecutive batch's. We added more damp mulch between batches
Due to the mix of damp mulch and Kakariki poo from the previous batch, it was a nice warm , composting pile, a natural incubator. And no problems where encountered.
The 3rd, we had 1 chick that had a crook eye, and another that has asthma.
This we believe was caused by the dust and possibly ammonia fumes being given off.
Our general practice for nesting boxes is to clean out and sterilise after each batch. We do this by quickly dismantling (simple if screwed together rather than nails or glue) washing down panels with strong hose and scrubbing brush. Then when sun dried, sterilised and burnt with a LPG torch, a big one. As u see from pics of our nesting boxes they have been burnt. This looks better/more natural, than painted.