Baby chicks!!!!!!!!

[lurky]

Ok....now that i got your attention

I got an idea today and i wonder if Anyone has tried it.....if not......its for those of you not wanting to use shavings in the brooder. Alot of people use paper towels.....but I hear they are not too good. so i use pee pee pads for one of my maltese and i thought they might be a better, softer and more absorbant bottom to the brooder. Also handy if you have to have one on your lap in the house......etc....etc......this way there is not messy towels to wash.

 

[Wildsky]

you can get those bed type pads they use in hospitals as well...

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Your not going to believe this but...lol...I have an older cocker spaniel that I have to keep puppy pads down for at night...I have 2 chicks in a brooder box in my laundry room (light bulb moment) I thought well why not instead of paper towels and shavings use these

they work great and I hardly have any bird dust at all...mind you there are only 2 chicks but they are 8 weeks old now and I like using these...

 

[arlee453]

Do the chicks not scratch it up too much?

Do you change them daily??? Does it work OK with older chicks?? Sounds like so, if yours are 8 wks old.

I'm really interested because I've got two brooders full of chicks right now and they are stinking me OUT and it's too cold to put them out yet until it either warms up to 'normal' temps here or they get more feathers!

I'd rather use puppy pads if that means a quick change daily and no dust! My sunroom has a solid coating of pine dust now even with constant dusting, due to over 12 wks now with chicks in the brooder...

 

[lurky]

I'm glad to hear they are working good. I have a chick due to hatch about feb 1st and i was going to try the pads. It sure seemed easier. I even thought about a small amount of shavings on top.....but just to allow some scratching.......????? What do you think tuffoldhen.....pads alone??? or a little shavings?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

At first I only changed the puppy pads once a day til they were 2 weeks old...now at 8 weeks I change the pads 3 times a day but its worth it to me with not so much dust!...At this age they do scratch around some thats why 3 times a day....remember I only have 2 chicks in the brooder box tho...the smell is limited....these will be in my house til March before I can put them out in a brooder box with a heat lamp in the garage as cold as it is here....

Lurky, I thought of adding shaving now but I think they would really scratch the pads up!!......they are really at that scratchy stage!!...

 

[turnerstar31]

i have used them and they have scratched them up to much that they actually got pieces wraped around there feet it was not good for me

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Wow...I have not had no problem...mine are getting to the age tho that I need to do the shavings but I liked having the pads down with just acouple chicks...saved me work...

 

[Katy]

I've used those pads too with good results. I started using them with ducklings since they make such a wet mess. I've never used them with shavings, but I suppose it would work. I usually switch them over to shavings by a week or so.

 

[lurky]

I guess if they work well enough alone....I'll let it be. Good info people....thanks