I Despise pine chips!!

[Chictastic]

Why do so many people recommend flaked pine or woodchip flakes? They are CONSTANTLY in the day old chick water. I REALLY prefer hay/straw because it doesn't seem to creep into the water and soak it up. What do y'all use?

 

[enola]

Most of us put something under the waterer to raise it up out of the chips.

When mine are about a week old they go out side in a plywood brooder with a wire floor. No more nasty feeders and waterers.

 

[Chictastic]

By "wire" you mean hardware cloth? Wire with those tiny squares?

 

[Cheryl1948]

I have a hanging feeder and electric hanging waterer inside the coop. When they were chicks I had the feeder and waterer sitting up on those stepping stones like you use in the yard. Now, the outside waterer is up on those.

 

[enola]

Yes welded wire mesh. Some people call the size rat wire. All the poop and water (splashed out of the waterer) falls through the wire. Chicks stay clean and dry.

 

[AmericanMom]

I love the pine flakes, I elevate the water and feed so when they scratch around they aren't throwing it into there water but holy cow does it make poop cleaning so much easier and it just stays dryer and cleaner then hay, seems when I lay the hay down they trample it and it gets wet and nasty....and another bonus...I kinda like the smell of the pine

 

[Chictastic]

These chicks are less than a week, and I have their water elevated on an upside down glass bowl with a rubber lining between them do it doesn't slip off, but still a huge mess. I can't make it any higher because they won't be able to reach. I use hanging and chicken nipples for my mama hens...so I guess I forgot how FUN babies are

 

[AmericanMom]

These chicks are less than a week, and I have their water elevated on an upside down glass bowl with a rubber lining between them do it doesn't slip off, but still a huge mess. I can't make it any higher because they won't be able to reach. I use hanging and chicken nipples for my mama hens...so I guess I forgot how FUN babies are

LOl, yes, new chicks are fun...they are such funny little creatures, I have 5 day old chicks on the porch in a brooder and 3 week old chicks out in the grow out pen beside the big coop...

Have you tried like a stepping stone approach that another poster suggested?? Right now I use a 4x4 and I do clean the water out once a day, which I would do anyways, but its not as bad, I am going to take her advice and grab the stones from the back property tomorrow

 

[Ren2014]

I would suggest a nipple waterer. You can search BYC for lots of articles on them. Our baby chicks picked right up on how to use them.

Here are some we have:


http://www.avianaquamiser.com/

http://chickenfountain.com/

You can also make your own.

 

[Chictastic]

I had extra nipples but my husband made our last 5 gallon waterer and used ALL 8 of the leftover nipples!! I told him that there is no way 8 chickens can get under there all at once

ANYWAY, I did not think that you are supposed to use those for tiny ones - one of the instruction sheets that came with them said not to. Has anyone used those with success on less than 1 week old chicks?