new to brooders ??

[daniellenoel]

I am a first time chick hatcher... we have 5 new chicks pretty fluffly and dry now, they all hatched yesterday..They are still in the incubator. We are going to put them in the brooder this afternoon. The brooder has newspaper on the bottom and then wood shavings on top of that. is there anything else I need in there? How much wood shavings should we have?
Of course, we have a water feeder and a feeding trough with chick starter food in there.
Thanks

 

[TheBuff]

I don't think I would put newapaper in the bottom due to the ink. 1" of bedding should be enough. New born chicks should be fed off a icream bucket lid ,shoe box lid,jar lid, for the first week or so until they get use to eating..

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

I put paper towels down for the first day or 2. Newspaper can get pretty slick causing leg problems. I sprinkle the feed on the paper towels until they learn to eat, which isnt usually to long after they are in the brooder. Then after that I put an inch or 2 of pine shavings in there.

 

[BeautifulBlue]

I put an old tea towel in mine for the first 2 days, it gives enough grip and allows the chicks to figure out whats edible, then use shavings