1/2" hardware cloth OK for my chickies feet?

[OcoeeG]

I just made a brooder for my 11 Welsummer chicks. I decided to make the floor of the brooder out of half inch square wire mesh due to all the poop they make. Should this be OK for their feet? They are 1.5 to 2 weeks old right now. They seem to be doing OK with is so far, but it has only been less than a day. I don't want to do any permanent damage.
I hope so cause the poop falls right through. Easy clean up.
What says ye??

 

[Master S.M.C]

I've heard of people doing this before, as long as it is the measurement you posted or smaller your Welsummers will be fine.

 

[Lollipop]

Can you still keep them warm with a wire floor?

 

[OcoeeG]

Well they are inside right now. The wire floor is only 1.5 off the bottom of the brooder. And the brooder is sitting directly on a plastic tarp sitting on a carpeted floor. So the fact that the floor is mesh shouldn't make that much of a difference in temp. in this configuration.

 

[aileronjack]

We put 12 RIR in a hutch when they were about two to three weeks old. 1/2 hardwarecloth was what we used in their new hutch... They will be fine.

 

[mawark]

My brooder has 1/2" hardware wire & sits 4" off the floor. The first week I put paper towels on the wire. Since mine sets off the floor I roll up feed sacks to fill the gap on the floor the first couple of weeks. I am from arkansas so our weather is about the same. I have my third set of chicks in this brooder this winter.

 

[EweSheep]

They will be fine! Sometimes for comfort, you would use paper towels or old bath towels in there.

 

[Snakeoil]

This is what I use, I get them at Wally World, I cut out two holes for the heating lamps put hardware cloth over both holes and place either paper towels or ping shaving for bedding. If I had chicks in there I would have red bulbs. I use the red bulbs from Wally World that are 85w.