Opinions... Do you brood on wire or shavings?

[henpeckedhubby]

If you brood on wire, is half inch hardware cloth the standard? I'm building a new brooder and am undecided on which way to go.

Thanks!

 

[The Chicken Lady]

I would recommend something like pine shavings (don't use cedar).

 

[gritsar]

I agree with The Chicken Lady.

 

[Farm Frenzy]

I keep my "kids in a makeshift box brooder for 1 week. Then they go to wire. I have never had a problem, and it's so nice not to have to clean poo.

 

[morelcabin]

definitely shavings here, nice and deep and warm

 

[Chicktastic]

I have used shavings, never wire. I like the shavings. But now I use straw. It is much easier to clean for me. We just pick up the whole mat and take it to the compost pile. Simple and easy.

 

[KYBOY]

I use a large box for the first day then they go to the big outdoor wire bottom brooder. It has 1/4" wire bottom with a drop pan..6' long x 2" wide x 2" deep.Three stalls all with individual heat lamps.I brood way to many chicks to use shavings..

 

[Farm Frenzy]

Quote:
Ditto.

 

[crazyhen]

I have been using a plastic container as a brooder and using shavings. However, I noticed they kept acting like something was bothering their head, twitching. Well this last batch started to do the same. Out went the shavings and then into a warm coop. The twitching went away. I don't know if it was the shavings or the plastic. Either way I and my hb have built a new brooder. The bottom is a plastic tray but they will have lots more air. The brooder is made of a frame with wire on it. I am going to use news paper after the first week covered lightly with aspen , non voulital oils. wood chips they are more expensive but they hopefully will not irritate the chicks. Damage done at a young age does not go away. they still grow and lay etc. but they will always have that twitch. At first I thought it was lice or mites but not so. Whatever you use make sure that they have enough good air exchange, Jean

 

[BeardedChick]

Chicks on shavings, ducklings on wire. I got a brooder coop setup for the next batch of chicks (just 25), wood shavings on top of concrete.