How much bedding in brooder

[Gregswife]

Hi all,

I ordered my chicks and they will be coming at the end of May - yippie!! I ordered 4 bantams-2 White Silkies and 2 Amercaunas, anywho...I was wondering how much pine bedding I use in their brooder? A couple of inches or more? I know that I need to use paper towels on top of shavings but would like to know how much to keep the smell down. I Thanks,

Stephanie

 

[AccidentalFarm]

You'll only need paper towels for a few days, until your chicks have figured out what 'food' is. They will eventually start picking the paper towels apart if left in there. Mine will start doing it at a week old.

When the chicks are on the bedding without paper towels, a couple of inches deep should be fine. They will scratch around in the bedding, helping it to stay dry. I add shavings at least every other day to my brooder because they kick so much of it out. My brooder is a wire cage, surrounded by cardboard (to keep drafts down, and to help keep the shavings in). I've never used a completely enclosed brooder, so I have no experience with keeping one of that sort clean and dry. I like mine because there is better airflow and it has never gotten stinky. I currently have 21 standard chicks in the brooder. Four bantams ought to be super easy to keep clean with a minimum of effort.