Raising chicks on wire

[vpeterson]

I read somewhere that some silkie breeders were keeping their chicks in a brooder with a wire bottom until they were 1 month old and then switching them over to wood chips. Is anyone doing that? Is it because of foot issues or something else? Curious because I have had a couple of chicks lately with splay leg and I was wondering if keeping them on wire with the padded shelf paper on top to start would be better than wood chips underneath them.

 

[SassyKat6181]

Some people put wire over the newspaper to give them traction. I used wood chips in my brooder and put a few paper towels over it so they wouldn't eat it. If you are having trouble with splayed legs you should put the wire over your shelf liner.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I personally wouldn't keep them on just wire, I have some chickens in a hutch and one side is wire but the other half is wood and has shavings. I don't think it's good for their feet.