What age can you put pine shavings down in brooder pen?

[Juliechickens]

Hi,
I have newspaper down for my newly hatched chicks but wanted to ask at what age can I put down pine shavings in the brooder pen? Thanks, Julie

 

[asher]

Hey, just to be on the safe side, put some paper towels over top of the newspaper. That should help/prevent them from getting splayed legs.

As for pine chips, I like to wait until they're established at eating and know what food is so they don't eat the chips and stop their digestive systems up. So I generally put chips down between 4-7 days after hatch, depending on how smart they seem to be!

 

[ChrissyNC]

My chicks are about 4 days old and I took up the paper towel this afternoon and left them with just the pine shavings. They are the funniest things!! They will scratch and peck and run around with pieces of shavings, almost like keep away.

 

[Juliechickens]

Question,,,,,why the paper towels instead of newspaper? What exactly is splayed legs? Forgive my dumbness! I'm still new to this! Julie

 

[justusnak]

Newspaper is slippery...and will cause thier legs to splay out at the sides. Like doing the splits. Sometimes it is correctable, sometimes its not. Paper towels are not so slippery.

No question is a dumb question, especially when it has to do with learning more.

 

[Juliechickens]

Hmmmm interesting....okay,,,up with the newspaper,,down with the towels! Glad I asked!

Thanks!
My first batch of chicks are on day 4 and I put a few shavings down just to see what would happen,,,reason being is because they are such a fiesty little bunch,,,always scratching and running and flapping,,,I thought they might enjoy a little something new in their box so I added some shavings and oh I wish I had a camera. I'm sure you all have witnessed this also. One brave chick grabbed a piece of it and went running with it,,,the others all followed behind. They all wanted that ONE peice of shavings for some reason. Now it's like a game of chase and keep away. None of them seem to be eating it but I won't give any to my younger chicks brooder.
Anyways,,,it's like I've started a football game in there! I've never seen such excitement in little chickens! They are all fired up about it. I thought they would just enjoy scratching it but they seem to enjoy chase with it best for now. Too funny!
Julie