I love the tubs..which I could fine a clear..I am using a red one right now. They can't see out. When I put them outside, they just stand there, and look around terrified. Poor babies. They get over it pretty quick though. I do hold them while inside, and put them down and look around..with that scared terrified look. I will keep looking for a clear tub. Helps a bit that they can see out. I also use a wire on top. I make sure it is on solid, I bend the wire down around the top so that it slides back and forth, won't slide off.I have to, I sell and I have to sterilize. I purchase these walmart online in a pack of 4-6 cheap, I cut the lids back and bend the wire. I use 60 watt light bulbs in the lamp in the one corner. no melting lol its on wire!!! its only getting to 100-110 at most in that corner.
What I like is I can grab another tub set it up switch the chicks into the new one, and clean the old one out no biggy!
paper towels yes for splay legs, but I also use them while I have them in the house, its less dust, I just put a few layers down with a layer of wax paper between them and then rollup one layer at a time each day if I am lazy and dont want to do the entire switch a roo of the brooder. lazy cheat cleaning! but when they get bigger they get stinky quicker so once a day is a must, and the wax paper is cheap! and it keeps the wetness off the next layer of paper towels!