donrae
Rest in Peace -2017
I'm against the plastic totes for brooders, unless you have a small number of bantams. They'll work for large fowl for a week or so, but after that you'll need something larger. I've used a lot of cardboard and never had mold, etc growing on it, and I live in the PNW where mold grows everywhere! I put down several layers of newspaper on the bottom, then pine shavings. Add more shavings as needed, I usually just do a deep litter in the box and keep adding shavings until the chicks are out of the brooder. It's really only a problem if a waterer spills, something like that. Then you have to clean down to the cardboard and maybe find a new box, but they're free so it's not a problem. I especially love you can cut doors between two boxes and make a multi-room brooder! Heat in one side, food and water in the other.
