Two day old chicks - when to put then on shavings?

[mmktdox]

Hi gang. I have 16 two day old CX chicks. They are eating chick starter and drinking lots of water, they all seem pretty healthy. My question is: I have about two inches of pine shavings under them but I put an old sheet on top of the shavings just for the first few days so they don't eat the shavings. The sheet is pretty messy after a day and a half, should I just let them onto the shavings or use another piece of old sheet for another day or so. What do other chick mom's do?

 

[Vickilynn45]

I've always heard as long as they are eating their starter they should be ok to be on the shavings. I think it's usually for the first day then the shavings after that- they are quite the poop machines lol! They will still try to eat a little, but they spit them back out usually.

 

[cafarmgirl]

All my chicks go into the brooder on pine shavings right from day one. I show them their feed and water and off they go. I'm not personally convinced that chicks eat shavings as much as play with them and scratch for dropped food in them. I guess if there was no food available they might but I've never once had a problem.

 

[cluckiemama]

I've always done newspaper with my new chicks. It works fine. I change it daily (stinky) and I haven't seen the chicks ever get dirty. They walk around fine- don't seem to slip on it.

 

[mmktdox]

Okay, thanks for the info. Out goes the stinky piece of sheet into the garbage and onto the shavings they go!