People often use sand as a base because it stays pretty dry and keeps flys down it is also a source of grit. If you were going to put a water bowl in when chicks are born, you need to have a shallow dish, with either clean stones or glass pebbles in the bottom to keep baby chicks from falling in and drowning. It does happen. Also baby chicks should not be eating layer feed or any extra calcium. At that time you could switch mama to grower feed & put out oyster shell in a separate dish - she will eat it if she needs it. The chicks shouldn't want it.
Bet they are super adorable! Have fun with them!
