Many things can be substituted in a pinch - small stones, aquarium/terrarium gravel, you can even use sand, although it will then have to be dumped outside each time you change the water - the shininess of the marbles does attract them to drink, but the drowning risk is the main reason I use marbles, especially for bantams but even large fowl, the first few days are small and less coordinated. Once they have a few days of growth (LF) I stop using them, and for bantams I play it by ear, they may have marbles a week or two. They make cleaning and changing the water a pain, but it's peace of mind I'm after![]()
Ditto all of this. I had one chick drown and I don't forget them anymore. Which reminds me, I have more babies coming this week, I need to wash my marbles.
