I only used those shelf liner the first day or two(for safety and traction) They will get messy after a while and it cost me precious time to keep on washing and making sure it’s clean. The 2nd or third day I add the pine shavings- more absorbent for their droppings and keeps their little toes and fuzz clean.
For pasty butts, I observed that most are cause by stress due to temp fluctuations and or transport (chicks coming from another state via planes) . I had only a couple of case in almost 6 years raising chicks (most cases from store bought). I’d been hatching for 3 yrs now, never had pasty butt syndrome but I check regardless. Proud to say I had never lost a single chick in my care. I normally brood in my laundry for a day or two for easy access and move them to my garage the 3rd day on bigger multi room brooder and add “room” (furniture/grill cardboard box) as needed. Learning that those Rubbermaid totes were too small too soon the first year with chicks, I moved to borrowed 100 gal water troughs. What a waste of time and money and cumbersome due to each depth and height to access the chicks to feed and clean. Learned the cardboard boxes were more practical and easy disposal and cleanup provided I prevent the brooder from getting wet.
The brooder plate are awesome keeping the chicks warm while the rest of the brooder are 50s. The chicks learn to go in and out under as needed and just monitoring the slow learners in case they get cold, so far their instinct for survival to get under seems to work like clock work. I got 11 one week olds in my garage right now when the temps dropped to 36* couple of nights ago.
Here’s a sample of my brooder set up in garage and adding extra box as needed.
