I Despise pine chips!!

[speedbird]

I need recommendation myself on what to use for my upcoming chicks BTW

 

[mallege]

I used a two stacked pieces of 2x6 scrap wood to elevate my water feeder. It has kept a lot of the pine chips out of the water dish. I also did the same for the feeder. Seems to work for me.

 

[theawesomechick]

mallege and I think straw is a bit coarse for the little ones... think putting a baby human in a room full of sticks. I used newspaper for my first four chicks, and my was it a disaster! I've heard a lot of people rave about sand in the brooder, but I had a bag of pine shavings handy so I just used that for my second batch of chicks. Raising the feed and water really makes a world of difference in cleanliness unless you have chicks that find your feed and fount to be the best roosting spots ever.

 

[GarthRyan]

Maybe try reducing the amount of chips you put in, don't put in as much so the level of the chips will be lower.

 

[KuroKitsune]

my chicks waterer and feeder are set on bricks and that keeps most of the shavings out of the water and food.


i wouldn't think straw would be as absorbent or oder controling as shavings and not very soft or east to walk on for tiny babies

 

[Ren2014]

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?

OMG, 8 that's too funny. I haven't heard not to use them with tiny ones. Our chicks were only 2 or 3 days old. I did have both options of waterers out but they picked right up on the nipple waterer day ONE. I was amazed. So, our pine shavings stayed and the 'open' waterer went

 

[JayDubYa]

Somewhere I read a recommendation to use puppy training pads with the little ones. Absorbant, not messing, and easy to clean. That's my plan when I get babies later this month.
JW

 

[Chictastic]

Wow!! Nothing better than getting everyone's experiences all in one place...I have ordered more nipples (will hide from my husband this time)

 

[pawtraitart]

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?

Nipple drinkers can be used for day old chicks. I use the horizontal nipples from day one with all of baby birds except for tiny bantams and quail under 10 days old. I gave away all of my other chicken waterers. They were too much work. I like pine shavings for my little babies and then use straw for my larger juveniles. I also like that rubberized shelf liner for the first few days in my brooder totes.

 

[JaceAgain]

I'm having luck with horizontal nipples I ordered them from ebay, I plugged them into a milk carton and even my 3 day old chicks can use them