Chicks On Wire

[chickbird]

For Those Of You, That Have Raised Lots Of Chicks, Do You Place The Baby Chicks On Wire Or Do You Place Them On Shavings...if You Could Let Me Know Some Of Your Pros And Cons Of Each Method???thanks

 

[onthespot]

I'll put two week olds on 1/4" wire if I NEED the space in the brooder box.

 

[Backyard Hencam]

I have an aversion to putting chicks on wire. They are natural "scratchers" and cannot do that on hardware cloth. Scratching and foraging keep them out of trouble. Wire may be easier to clean as dropping go through and can be removed daily, but for a small number of chicks, I think cedar shavings are the best. Good luck with your chicks!

 

[Papabear]

could someone tell me how long before newly hatched chicks need food or water, I am new to this and have a bunch of babies thismorning. Thanks in advance.

 

[Lollipop]

If you do a search, you will find that cedar shavings are NOT good for chicks, at all. I`ve neve used them, myself, but there is a lot of info on the forum about it........Pop

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Common opinion is 36 hours. Shipped chicks sometimes go 48 or so. I would go with the 36........Pop

 

[txchickie]

Wire is fine. I have a wire brooder and for the first week or so I put paper towels down over the wire. After that I take them away until they're ready to go outside. I put pine shavings in the tray below the wire to catch the poo.

Get them water and food asap if they were shipped!

 

[underground chickenman]

I use pine shavings--NOT CEDAR. Two day old chicks like to scratch. Litter gives them the opportunity and does not hurt their feet. Shavings are a more natural turf. Shavings keep odor down. Shavings make it easier to keep the brooder clean. Shavings allow a slow build up of resistance to coccidiosis. Shavings beat wire on every level in my opinion.

UGCM

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Go ahead and offer food and water right away! There's no reason to wait, and in fact that could be harmful. Just because chicks can survive without food and water that long doesn't mean they should be forced to...not all of them make it through shipping, after all.

 

[FrenchToast]

Quote:
I put down those puppy pee pads in my brooder which absorbs liquid. I changed them every day or every other day. At two weeks old I put wood shavings over the top of the pads. My main reason for the pads was to avoid having the poop in contact with the plywood floor.
They worked out great. They gave the chicks traction and were softer on their feet than wire. I didn't want to put them on the shavings right away, I was afraid of them eating the shavings !!