Paper towel as bedding for brooder?

[SpiritedFarm]

yep, paper towel over the shavings for the first few days.....when the fuzzbutts are about a week old, I spoil them terribly, i go out and cut small pieces of sod from the lawn (no pesticides or chemical fertilizers here at the Funny Farm) I cut pieces about 4"x4" and put them in the brooder soil side up......They go CRAZY for it. They rip away at it till there is usually nothing left!

At about 10 days old they go into a plastic wading pool in my mares stall with two lights over it and then my hubbys fave past time is to catch spiders for them...within two days as soon as they see my hubby coming they go nuts, he sweeps the spiders from thier webs on a stick and then offers the stick to the chicks, they all race to see who can get to the stick first!

The later hatches get spiders AND crickets....oh you should see them racing around the pool with the cricket in their beak and all their hatch mates trying to steal it!

Entertaining and nutritious!!!

 

[Jakl]

I use shavings in my brooder, but in my bator, I use puppy pads over newspaper. The puppy pads would get expensive in the brooder, and I think too the paper towels would be not so cost effective for long term use.

 

[tymimo]

Just got chicks yesterday. I have paper towels over shavings. Now that I know they are eating out of the feeder can I remove the towels? I'm changing the paper towels at least 4 times a day. These guys are pooping machines!

 

[Jeanna Marie]

I was using paper towels under a light dusting of shavings... they decided to EAT the paper towels. Back to newspaper for the McFlockertons....

 

[Elvis1943]

The paper towels provide a little better footing for young chicks to prevent leg and foot problem till their bones harden. You don't want to use newspaper as it's too slick. Should be ok after a week or two and can just let them walk on the shavings then.

Thanks great advice