Raising Chicks on Wire.

[Backyard Bob]

Your Opinion!​

Do you think it is fine to raise baby chicks on wire? Or not. I was wondering, as I am fixing to build a brooder. Also, how many square inches is needed per chick?

Thank you!
-Backyard Bob

 

[aggiemae]

I wouldn't raise any animal on wire, A brooder needs to be big enough to move around and also big enough that it doesn't get filled with poop between cleanings. We use an sturdy kitchen cabinet we got a Habitat for Humanity for $10.00. We added a wire top, a scrap of vinyl for flooring and a door latch. I was great because we could raise the light pretty hing and even add a roost. It''s about 24X36 and we brooded six chicks in it they went out during the day at around 10 weeks but due to delays in coop building they continued to sleep in it at night until they were 14 weeks old. We have ten chicks in it right now but they are old a few days old, hopefully they will feather out before they outgrow in.

 

[Avianman]

I agree about not raising anything on wire. We use indoor/outdoor carpet in our pens and just roll it up when it gets dirty, swap it for a clean one, and take the dirty one out and hit it with the hose. 2 minutes and it's squeaky clean again and drying in the breeze! For our chicks, we use shavings in a tub, kind of like how they do it in the farm supply stores.

 

[Backyard Bob]

Ok thank you!

 

[aggiemae]

We buy used towels by the bag at Goodwill ( I got 8-9 for 3.99 last week) and fold them to fit the bottom of the 'chickery'. I change them out every day the first few days then add pine shavings to the brooder and pick out the poop when ever I check on the chicks and change to towel every few days. I like this because the towels absorb the water they splash and spill and the heat lamp dries the poop pretty quickly, They will be covered with stains after the first use but they can be washed and reused if you aren't too grossed out.

 

[Avianman]

We buy used towels by the bag at Goodwill ( I got 8-9 for 3.99 last week) and fold them to fit the bottom of the 'chickery'. I change them out every day the first few days then add pine shavings to the brooder and pick out the poop when ever I check on the chicks and change to towel every few days. I like this because the towels absorb the water they splash and spill and the heat lamp dries the poop pretty quickly, They will be covered with stains after the first use but they can be washed and reused if you aren't too grossed out.

This is a great idea!

 

[realsis]

no wire is not good.it will harm the feet eventually. glad you decided not to use it!

 

[frenchiegirl21]

I have used wire and my chicks turn out fine. It's 1/4 inch hardware cloth. I chose wire because it makes it easy to clean. For the first week I cover the bottom with paper towels so they stay warm and don't try and go exploring through the floor! After the first week half is covered with paper towels and the other half is the wire. It makes clean up easier because I am a full-time student. I have not noticed any leg problems develop in my chickens because they were raised on wire. I guess it depends on personal preference!

 

[3riverschick]

Your Opinion!​

Do you think it is fine to raise baby chicks on wire? Or not. I was wondering, as I am fixing to build a brooder. Also, how many square inches is needed per chick?

Thank you!
-Backyard Bob

Hi,
Absolutely! It works very well with chicks. That said, you want the wire to be a platform raised about 1 inch above shavings or something which covers the floor of the brooder.
I learned to raise my chicks on wire from Kelly Cratty of Marans fame. Years ago, I went to his place to pick up some Marans chicks. He told me to raise them on 1/4 inch hardware cloth as above described for the 1st 2 weeks. Then change out the platform to 1/2 hardware cloth for the rest of their time in the brooder.
I once paid 150. for 10 rare breed chicks. Decided to do "something different" and raised them on newspaper in the cardboard corral like a major hatchery suggests. All 10 developed severely crippled and deformed feet. I gave them all away Searching around to figure out what happened, I happened to be discussing it with a breeder. I was told that when chicks are raised on slick surfaces they tend to curl their toes underneath them when they sleep and their feet grow crooked. When they are raised on wire, they don't curl their toes underneath them and the toes grow straight. One thing I do know, I never had problems with crooked feet wen I raised on wire.
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Space per chick? 2sq. ft. for large fowl. 1 sq. ft. per chick with bantams.
Best Regards,
Karen in western PA, USA

 

[my sunwolf]

I've always heard that if you use wire, you can lay cut straw or hay on top of it to make it more comfortable. Poops still end up falling to the bottom of the bedding and getting pressed through the wire, plus it's good on their feet.