Flooring for chicks

[fdehaven]

Ok I keep reading how using newspaper for flooring cover is bad for chicks. Could you usa shredded paper/newspaper or is it something in the newspaper that is bad? Just want to make sure my chicks will be alright.

 

[downtown chick]

My understanding is that the newspaper is too slippery amd they can hurt their legs. I use paper towel or I have even used old towels that I could throw away.

Good luck!

 

[BellLisamo]

I think they might try to eat the shredded newspaper... i havent tried it myself though....

 

[chickens friend]

I raise my chicks on a wooden floor made of individual 1 inch thick boards that I can lift out to clean, then when the chicks are about three weeks old I have wire frames that I put on top of the boards and this lifts them up off of the floor and they stand on the wire letting the manure fall through the wire keeping the chicks bottoms cleaner, when it comes time to clean out the manure I lift out the wire frames and clean the boards and reinsert the frames. I have used this method and I have raised the over sawdust, the best method is using wooden flooring and have the wire panels when they get old. When I did use the sawdust floor I laid down newspaper for the first week to keep them from eating the saw dust. If your flooring is any material that the chicks can't eat don't bother putting anything down.

 

[OverEggstended]

Quote:
Dont you worry about bacteria in the wooden boards?

 

[Ms~Silkie~Girl]

Quote:
I was thinking the same thing

 

[Keri78]

I used good old fashioned HAY! It smelled great(to me anyway) and with my last bunch all I did was toss in a fresh layer of hay on top of the yucky hay everyday and then at the end of the week I would dump the whole (rubbermaid storage container) out in my woods and start fresh again. The pee drains right through the hay and stays on the bottom of the container. So all your really doing is adding a little fresh layer of hay so they are walking and sleeping on clean hay. The chicks liked pecking at it and I thought it was simple. Blessings,Keri PS. They liked to snuggle up in the hay too!(soo cute!)

 

[jaboo81]

I just use regular shaving, the same as i use in my coop.

 

[chickens friend]

Quote:
Dont you worry about bacteria in the wooden boards?

The boards get lifted out and cleaned every week, and then every other week I take the boards and pressure wash them off, while those boards are drying I have another set that I put into place and repeat the cycle. I have used the same two sets of boards for the last 5 years and raise 25 chicks or more every years on them with absolutely no problem, and have never lost a chick.

 

[felidaet]

I use pine shavings. For the first week or so I cover the shavings with paper towels.