Advice on new chicks please

[hip chick]

I candled my eggs yesterday and 5 out of the 6 have chicks in. I have removed the infertile egg so she's now sat on the 5. The chicks are due for hatching around the 8th sept so I want to ensure Im fully prepared for their arrival, but as a first timer I'm also very anxious, aswell as excited.
Should I use straw as bedding on the floor of their crate/run area, as I believe they will attempt to eat shavings, (I currently have shavings in)
Just looking for any advice from people please on the Do's and Don'ts

 

[MrsBiscuit]

I tend to use paper towels on top of a thin layer of aubiose in the early days in the brooder (which is just a large plastic crate). This is easy for them to grip and the white surface shows up food etc. Then I move onto aubiose on its own, although they do peck at this, but I figure they have to learn sometime and they don't do it for very long. However, its no good if they are in something with gaps in the walls as the aubiose gets kicked out. It is a also a fact of life that if they can kick it into the drinker/feeder etc, they will! I would think shavings would be fine, with the same caveat about being kicked out and about. Straw isn't the best as it can get tangled, they may try to eat it, and some people think it can give rise to respiratory issues. I have also used pellets (cat litter) but that was hopeless as it got wet and broke down and looked just like chick crumb; I have read other people have used pellets (for woodburners) but that it can heat up too much when under the heat lamp. I have also used J cloths in the very early stages (laid on top of aubiose), which woked just fine. You could also use shredded newspaper, but not just flat newspaper as that may not offer enough grip for their feet and you don't want to encourage splayed legs.

 

[hip chick]

Thank you MrsBiscuit, I will try the paper towels. I will have feeders and drinkers hung around an inch from the floor so hopefully that will help in keeping it clean. Will I need a heatlamp!! They are in a large dog crate, which has 6 inch high of carboard tied in all around the edges to stop any little heads popping through, which is attached to its own run, where they will stay with mum for a few weeks. This is inside the main large pen which is totally weatherproof. How long before I let them venture from the crate into their run area !!

 

[MrsBiscuit]

No you won't need a heat lamp with a broody. I keep a broody and chicks inside the broody coop for about 48 hours before letting Mum out, and she can take the chicks with her if she wants.

 

[hip chick]

Brilliant thank you