Brooding on dirt?

[squishychicky]

I notice there is a lot of discussion on what substrate to use in the brooder, i haven't seen dirt as an option much. My first chicks were hen raised and straight out on to dirt, with cane sugar mulch in the nesting box. This lot are hand reared. They are 4 days old. I have them on cane sugar mulch, but i just dumped a bowl of dirt in there and they went nuts! Is there any reason too not raise them on dirt? Maybe the mulch under the heat where they like to sleep?

 

[redranger209]

I think that dirt in a brooder would be hard to clean, and when I use pine shavings they heat up so the chicks have even heat. Maybe because they would pack it down and poop on it? I’m not sure, it’s just my opinion.

 

[squishychicky]

Good points. I'm in australia so still warm, so i guess heat isn't really an issue. It's a small brooder, i was planning on dumping the entire contents in the compost heap and re filling. I think it would only work for a day or 2 until they become poop factories!