newbie question on paper towels in brooder

[ashtonbritney]

Hi all! My chicks arrive on Tuesday (so excited!) and I set up their brooder. I am using paper towels, but then got to wondering if it matters what KIND of paper towels. I am using the Viva kind, not the like scott or brawny where they have those little holes or dips. The viva are pretty smooth. Are they ok or do I need to get a different kind of paper towel that isn't quite as smooth?

 

[azygous]

Do you know why paper towels are recommended for the first few days you have your chicks? Sometimes people do things without understanding why just because everyone says it's how things are done.

Perhaps others have different reasons for using paper towels, but I'll tell you mine and you can see if they make sense to you.

First of all, any paper towels will do. Carpet the brooder with long unbroken sheets so they will lie flat and not bunch up. Having this absorbent white flat bedding will provide (1) easier footing for tiny feet. (2) Poops show up better so you can monitor the chicks' state of health (3) Sprinkling chick crumbles on the toweling makes it easier for the chicks to learn what their proper food is and gets them to start eating more quickly.

Some folks fear putting new chicks on pine shavings for fear they will eat those instead of their food. (1) Chicks may sample the shavings , but rarely mistake them for food. (2) As long as chicks have been shown how to drink from their water bottle, they will drink plenty to counter any shavings they might swallow.

I remove the paper toweling after I see that my new chicks are eating their food and that they are all pooping normally. By day three, there should no longer be any concern about chicks misidentifying shavings as food and they can safely be turned loose on pine bedding and the towels removed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

When I used paper towels, I honestly bought the absolute cheapest ones I could find.

 

[CanadaEh]

I put cardboard over pine shavings under feeders and waterers for may be first 5 days. This is just to provide a stable ground level to make sure they can reach waterers/feeders the first few days when the chicks are really small.

 

[ashtonbritney]

Do you know why paper towels are recommended for the first few days you have your chicks? Sometimes people do things without understanding why just because everyone says it's how things are done.

Perhaps others have different reasons for using paper towels, but I'll tell you mine and you can see if they make sense to you.

First of all, any paper towels will do. Carpet the brooder with long unbroken sheets so they will lie flat and not bunch up. Having this absorbent white flat bedding will provide (1) easier footing for tiny feet. (2) Poops show up better so you can monitor the chicks' state of health (3) Sprinkling chick crumbles on the toweling makes it easier for the chicks to learn what their proper food is and gets them to start eating more quickly.

Some folks fear putting new chicks on pine shavings for fear they will eat those instead of their food. (1) Chicks may sample the shavings , but rarely mistake them for food. (2) As long as chicks have been shown how to drink from their water bottle, they will drink plenty to counter any shavings they might swallow.

I remove the paper toweling after I see that my new chicks are eating their food and that they are all pooping normally. By day three, there should no longer be any concern about chicks misidentifying shavings as food and they can safely be turned loose on pine bedding and the towels removed.

thanks! I wanted to be sure the viva weren’t too slippery. Sounds about right. I have read about using them and appreciate the time and information. I actually first put down puppy pads then pine shavings and topped it all with a few layers of long sheets of paper towels in my 50 gallon tote. I took out the pine shavings. It looked weird and was too lumpy.

 

[ashtonbritney]

I put cardboard over pine shavings under feeders and waterers for may be first 5 days. This is just to provide a stable ground level to make sure they can reach waterers/feeders the first few days when the chicks are really small.

Thanks! I have puppy pads and pine shavings. I had an extra roll of paper towels so figured that would work. I thought of using cardboard under the pine shavings to help absorb anything the puppy pads missed.

 

[ashtonbritney]

When I used paper towels, I honestly bought the absolute cheapest ones I could find.

I bought a 6 pack a few weeks back so I have extras. To be honest I was hoping they’d be fine because I don’t want to have to run to the store .

 

[rosemarythyme]

I bought a 6 pack a few weeks back so I have extras. To be honest I was hoping they’d be fine because I don’t want to have to run to the store .

Yeah they're fine. I think I ended up with a 6 pack of no-name, store brand ones. I like the Viva ones, but for myself.

 

[CanadaEh]

Thanks! I have puppy pads and pine shavings. I had an extra roll of paper towels so figured that would work. I thought of using cardboard under the pine shavings to help absorb anything the puppy pads missed.

you don't need anything under the pine shavings. when the pine shavings start smell just add more of them on top.

 

[aart]

I put cardboard

Cardboard can be slippery.


Paper towels work great, not slippery, can roll em and toss every few days.
Keeping them flat can be tricky.
I don't think brand matters, can't think of any paper towels I've seen that wouldn't work.