Wire or solid flooring?

[MTchick]

A quick tidbit;

My first brooder (a metal washbin) got too small really fast. My second brooder (a big plastic storage tub) got too small even faster. I had to think hard, because the coop wasn't ready for hens, let alone chicks. So I took my dog's old homemade dog kennel, turned it so that the biggest side was the floor, and that is the chick's third and final brooder. It is warm, clean, big, and safe from my curious dog.

Why do I mention this? The floor is 1/3" x 1/3" welded wire mesh. The chicks are not too fond of it. I've had three chicks break a nail and bleed on their perches (of eight chicks total) and one chick mauled its nail so badly it turned black and fell off a few days later. This all happened in less than a week. I'm really disappointed that I was not able to prevent this, but it is the biggest thing I can use that keeps the dog out, chicks in, and warmth in.

Don't bother reprimanding me, by the way, because I learned my lesson and the chicks are moving to their modified, chickproof, heated, temporary deluxe-coop-brooder tomorrow. Seeing my little Polish girl's front toenail turn black and fall off was too much for me- changes had to be made.

-MTchick

 

[kstaven]

MTCHICK One thing you have to remember when things like that happen is that there are probably 100 people on this group who have learned the same thing, the same way. Some will admit it and others....well... Foolish pride gets in the way of admitting they where ever where you are now or did things they shouldn't have.

I did the same thing with screens in the bottom of the incubator years ago. Several chicks where injured before I realized what was happening.