Brooder box floor?

[Ddurlak]

I'm getting ready to build my first brooder box. A book that I have says to make a wire floor so that the chicks can grip it with their feet and their dropping can fall through.
I've been watching videos on YouTube and everyone either had wood shavings, newspaper, or paper towels over shavings. Does it matter what the floor is made of?

David

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Wire is for when one will not be using brooder litter.

My brooder is made of plywood that is lined with plastic. I start with about two inches of fresh pine shavings.

If you don't use litter then the brooder floor needs to be textured so the birds won't slip on it which can injure them (spraddle leg). If you are using litter then I'd line it with plastic for easier clean up and resistance to water should a waterer spill or leak.

.....Alan.

 

[princesscurlylocks]

I've had my babies for two weeks, so this is still very new to me. We have a large plastic tub that we lined with plain, white paper toweling for the first two days. I read somewhere on the website that at first they will try to eat the pine shavings. I don't know whether this is accurate; I just followed the advice. After that, I put down pine shavings. I got frustrated because the pine shavings got all in their feeder and waterer. I tried putting in less shavings, but they were still making a mess in there (three babies, and I cleaned up twice a day). Now I put down a layer of newspaper, covered by pine shavings. When it's time to clean I just pick up the newspaper and dump the shavings and poop into the compost bin. I also put a 1 inch landscape stone under the waterer and they are getting few pine shavings in there. It's working for us so far! We are having so much fun with our little girls!