Need Advice for baby chicks!!

[amandaj79]

I currently have 7 2 week old baby chicks in a brooder inside the house. I want to wait till they are fully feathered before putting them in the outside coop. I need some help with bedding advice. They have moved beyond using papertowels in the bottom of the brooder. I know pine shaving are good but I live a hour away from the closest place to buy them. So I need something to use now until I can go get some. I have straw, but I don't like using it as it is not absorbant. I do have critter care bedding for my rabbit, can I use it with the chicks. Has anyone ever used it before it is the brown kind that Walmart sells.. Please I need advice now.. Thank you..

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That bedding is probably fine. It may be corncob bedding which works well for chicks.
If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, the chicks can probably go out now or shortly.
They don't need to be kept at 90 till feathered.
What is the coldest temperature it reaches where you are now?

 

[amandaj79]

I have lowered the temp from 90 for the first week to 80 for the second week, next week I think they are ready for no heat light at all from what I have read. It sometimes gets into the 70's at night right now here due to the rain. I am converting my coop from straw to sand so I am not quite ready for them to go outside, I just don't want them to have to walk in there own waste while I am finishing this. They critter care says it is a paper bedding so I was not sure about it.. I have only one full grown silkie chicken outside and have been working on introducing them to her slowly also, she dosent seem to mind them at all, so that is good.. I am still a newbie at chickens this is the second time I have had baby chicks, but the first time around I only took care of 1 so not near as messy.. So any advice is appreciated. Oh and does the stepping down with the heat lamp sound right.. Thank you..

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Silkies are very mellow so they should be good. A lone chicken will appreciate any company they can get.
When it stays above 70, I usually remove heat by the second or 3rd week depending on how many chicks there are.

 

[amandaj79]

The chicks I have now are 3 more silkies 1 easter egger 1 white sultan and 2 polish. Did you know if I could use the critter care paper bedding or should I just use straw over papertowels??

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Depending on the size of your brooder either will be fine. If the brooder is bigger, I might use straw. If it's small, I'd use the shredded paper.

 

[KayTee]

I use shredded paper with my chicks with no problem at all. It is absorbent and doesn't cause a problem. I don't even buy it - I've got a document shredder and I just shred old copies of the yellow pages or any thin paper junk mail that comes through my door ! I change it as often as necessary as it doesn't cost me a penny