About to get some chicks....

[CedarCluck]

Ok so next question. When you are hatching eggs in the bator, when you put your eggs into lockdown, do you take the automatic turner out or just leave it in but turned off?

 

[Bellatrixed]

So I was wanting to get everyone's opinion on something. When you have day olds what do you have them on. Pine shavings or actual wood chips?

Sand. I will never use anything else for bedding after using sand. I just scoop out the brooder once a day like it's a giant litter box. Beats having stinky, matted down shavings or wood chips any day lol.

 

[justinmcclerkin]

i have used a lot of diffrent things like news paper paper shredds straw and i have them on grass hay this year any thing easy to clean out of the bottom is good enough.

 

[justinmcclerkin]

with regards to the people about to get chicks there are a ton of options for cages i use a 300 gallon water trough this year till my 200 sq ft coop is bult but i have used a refrigerator box before and those are free from most places that display them. as for room i would start as big as you can. my coop run not counting the coop itself is 1800 sq ft i have more birds then most sitting at 50 of various breeds. i also try to have a spot for sick or injured birds usualy in my spare bathroom has a vent they start to stink. the heat lamp will depend on if the room they are in is heated or not but would advise giving them the option if they never use the light that would be fine better to have and not need then to need and not have.

 

[suebgbr]

i have used a lot of diffrent things like news paper paper shredds straw and i have them on grass hay this year  any thing easy to clean out of the bottom is good enough.

I was told not to use straw as it has sharp edges and can hurt the chicks eyes. I use it in the grown up's coops though with great effect. I line the bottom with newspaper then put straw in. When i clean out i roll up the paper and lift it all out in one go.

 

[Too Fast]

Sand. I will never use anything else for bedding after using sand. I just scoop out the brooder once a day like it's a giant litter box. Beats having stinky, matted down shavings or wood chips any day lol.

Sand huh, never thought of that. Sounds easy to maintain, tho! We use newspaper or 'cheep' paper towels over TSCs Premium pine shavings. IDK if they have non-Premium shavings lol. Do they eat or peck at the sand too much?

 

[insmokesimage]

So I was wanting to get everyone's opinion on something. When you have day olds what do you have them on. Pine shavings or actual wood chips? 

 

[insmokesimage]

I have read to use pine chips, but I am using puppy potty training pads. I do have my chicks in the house under a lamp and it it real easy to clean up. Just roll it up and throw it away! Now when I put my chicks in our insulated brooder outside with the lamp I will put in shavings or chips. I just used the potty pads because I had some left over. Hope this helps.

 

[ChickMommaSD]

Definitely agreed you should be sure to have your coop ready early. We thought ours would be in the house for a month but put them in early bc they were growing so fast and trying to get out. We were able to do so bc we had a heat lamp installed in the coop.

 

[ChickMommaSD]

Fine pine