Can I line my chics brooder with sand????

[DixieDame67]

question about sand and ..... grit, day or so ago i read play sand plain from wal-mart so i went and got some, i have 17 chicks and after reading the chic mortality causes, quickly started looking for a bigger brooder.....i currently have them in a 10 gal aquarium ....i now have a big clear plastic tote, but i lined the bottom with about 3/4 inch of sand, will that be ok for them to live in?????? i am at this moment heating up the sand lol before i put them in there....anyone know if this will be ok for the chics? they like to get in there feed bowl and waller around so i thought they would love the sand.....if this is not ok somebody speak up please and let me know....Thanks

 

[chickensioux]

My understanding is that they will eat the sand , which is not good.

 

[DixieDame67]

hmmm , that is possible......so ill toss out the sand, what about pine shavings? right now i was using dog training pads , but this is a really big tote so im not sure what to use for there bedding, newspapers?

 

[debilorrah]

Pine shavings, paper towels, puppy pads, shredded paper are all ok. Not sand. They will eat too much of it.

 

[erik520]

yep sand is bad i killed 7 befor using sand please do away with it ...

 

[Chickenaddict]

If the chicks are day olds i would use the puppy pads for a few days then switch to pine shavings, sand doesn't give them alot of traction

 

[DixieDame67]

EEEEEEEEEEEeeeekkkkk

Immediately tossing out the sand, whew so glad i ask.....Thanks , on my way back to Wal-Mart for pine shavings

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

Depending on how old they are I wouldnt use shavings right away. I like to wait atlease a week. Then switch to shavings. Puppy pads work good.