The floor should have a small thin of layer . Bedding in the brooder needs to provide an absorbent , non-slippery surface for the young chicks . Most producers use readily available pine shavings in a layer 3 to 4 inches deep . The pine oils in pine shavings have the advantage by reducing mold growth . Other options include rice hulls , ground corncobs , shredded newspaper or finely chopped straw ( if it is changed often ).
Hardwood shavings and peanut hulls should not be used because they can become moldy . Avoid sawdust because chicks may eat it and become impacted in their crop or gizzard . Large particle litter , like woodchips , is not useful for bedding because it is not as absorbent as smaller particle litter . Be attentive to the chicks when they are first introduced to the brooding enclosure . If a farmer sees his or her new chicks eating the bedding , he or she may choose to cover the bedding with newspaper or paper towels for the first couple of days , until they are eating their food well enough on their own . The farmer should not use slick materials to cover the bedding as these may lead to leg injuries known as splay legs .
How long should chicks stay in the brooder ? Chicks should stay for between three ( 3 ) to four ( 4 ) weeks in the brooder when they have fully
developed feathers and no longer need artificial heat .
Heat ( how does the farmer tell the variation of heat in the brooder ) Theoretically , chick brooder temperature is measured with a thermometer placed 2 inches ( 5 cm )
above the brooder floor ( and at the outer edge of a hover ), but the poultry farmer should not need a thermometer . He or she should just watch the chicks , and adjust the temperature according to their body language .
Chicks that are not warm enough - due either to insufficient heat or to draftiness-crowd near the heat source , peep shrilly , and may have sticky bottoms or outright diarrhea . In an effort to get warm while they sleep , the chicks will pile up and smother each other . Piling is most likely to occur at night when the ambient temperature drops , so in cold weather check the chicks before going to bed , and if necessary , increase the heat overnight .
Chicks that are too warm move away from the heat , spend less time eating , and as a result grow more slowly . They pant and try to get away from the heat source by crowding to the brooder ’ s outer
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