What do you put in your brooder.

[aprophet]

Quote:
this is about the same as I do I got to where I put shavings in right away but I put either paper towels or the shelf liner on top of the shavings after the first coupla days/week of them getting thier feet under them I take out the paper towels I just put out a few chukars too it is kina sad / funny

to watch them try to figger out the wire

 

[chrishel]

I used rubber shelf liner for a week. $1 for a roll that I cut in half then use one half per day. I tossed them but I guess they can be washed. Then I have been using Carefresh animal bedding for a week now. It's been really great. I got it at the pet store in the rabbit/guinea pig/rat aisle. I noticed that Walmart has something similar. It's like shredded cardboard boxes. I put some paper towels under it and cleaning is a snap. It soaks up water really well and keeps the smell down. I changed it after 3 days because I was getting worried that I wasn't doing enough work, but I think I could have let it go longer.

I was worried about the chicks eating it, but they don't bother. They can pick up the crumbles on top and the poop shifts to the bottom. The chicks have clean feet.

What I do notice is that the chicks must really like it because sometimes I'll check on them and they are stretched out like rubber chickens sleeping. I know fuzzy butts do that (I don't blame them after being cooped up in those eggs!) but 2-3 week olds kind of freak me out. They also make little indentations to sleep in. They've tried dust bathing in it, but it's big and not very effective.

 

[JJMR794]

ChRisHel Even As Adults They Will Stretch Out And Sleep Like That

 

[Mek]

I freaked out when I saw one like that.

 

[chrishel]

I freak out for a moment too. My last batch of coturnix didn't do that.