Brooder bottom

[AzRooster]

I am new to the forum but raised chickens years ago and am recently getting back to it. I have the chicks(6-all a week and a half old) in a storage tub with pine shavings for the bottom. Problem is, I am at work during the day and can only change the water(shavings all in the water) in the morning and twice at night once I get home. Would putting them in a rabbit cage(in the garage) be ok, or is the cage bottom to hard for their feet? This would elimate the problem of them wasting most of their feed and water. I have some hard wire mesh that is really small I can put in it for the floor. Even smaller than what the steel brooders in the feed store have for the floors. Any thoughts?

 

[Snakeoil]

Why not get a small piece of 2x4 and put your feed and waterer
on to cut down on spoiled water and feed. You don't tell where you are so what is the temp right now? You have to keep the chicks warm.

 

[RendonRoo]

I put my feeder and waterer on a brick so it will be harder for them to sling shavings into it. It also helps cut back on scattered feed. What kinda feeder are you using? If its the small one you can cut a toilet paper roll up and put it on inside of base to lower the depth of the feed in feeder. This help save feed greatly in my brooder. Good Luck

 

[yfchoice]

My chicks are now almost 4 weeks old and they're in a bigger living area. They started in a big tub. I have some old 5lb weights that I would set their waterer and feeder on. As they grew, I just added weights. Very sturdy, very safe and a whole lot less waste. Any food they throw out now they come back and scratch thru the pine shavings to eat.

 

[AzRooster]

I am in Arizona. The weather is still pretty chilly at night(nothing like back East) but getting warmer during the day. Like 60-70 during the day right now. I just wondered if the steel mesh is bad for their legs or feet??

 

[Mahonri]

for the first three weeks I used paper towels and some shaving and raise both the feeder and the waterer to cut down on mess.

At four weeks it's just a few paper towels on the bottom with more shavings... saves time cleaning up to just roll everything up from the bottom with the paper towels.

 

[AzRooster]

yeah. I am thinking about using the paper towel thing myself.

 

[echlfan]

I just went & did it to mine. I used a paper towel roll. I cut it in half lengthwise. Then slice it open. Taped both sides together for a bigger cylinder. Then I cut 2 V shaped notches out so feed could come out, but not too much. I will check later & see how much better it is.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I use wood or bricks, depending on the height I need, to raise the chick feeder and waterer, too. It cuts down on food waste and keeps the water cleaner.

You want to try to get the tray they are eating and drinking out of, to be about the level of their backs or just slightly less, for chicks. I always watch them for a little bit after I do that, to make sure the smallest one can reach ok. A fraction of an inch can make a difference for the tiny ones.