[sliverus]

I've got my chicks in a pretty big plastic tub with a 100w globe.
I use hay on the bottom, they have a fresh water daily in their waterer, and I regularly pick the poop out of the top layer of their feed and shove more food into it so it's always clean.
I only have 2 chicks in there, and I clean it out daily to every 1 and a half days to two days depending on how much play time out of the brooder they've had with me in the backyard (less poop in the brooder)
They are only 1 week old, but they love playing with me in the backyard (actually, it's me watching over them while they quarry over chosen leaves and chasing ants)

What my question is, is, I'm going through fresh hay like crazy! I just don't want to chance it by combing over the hay for poop, only to only miss a wet patch and them get a cold or get sick. Is completely emptying and cleaning their coop and laying fresh hay once a day the norm? or too much?

also, because they're in a plastic tub with hay at the bottom, will they get splayed legs? (they seem fine so far), I've had a rubber mat in their before, but I swear the poop has like a magical suction to that mat that makes in nearly impossible to clean it properly, so I just stuck to hay. Is that okay???

[splash101]

In the bottom of mine, i use a moisture mat which is a similar thing to a puppy training pad. It absorbs the moisture from the poop leaving the rest of it crumbly. It also gives them more grip. For me, thats the best solution i've come up with that works for me. Other people will hopefully give you some other ideas.

I've also used in the past and anti slip mat on top of newspaper with a layer of wood shavings underneath for warmth. Its important they cant get to the wood shavings else they might eat them , that worked quite well. That give them lots of grip, easy to wash and cheap.

Something like

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anti-Slip-Non-Slip-Mat-Rug-Dash-Grip-Gripper-45cm-x-120cm-/190802908438?pt=UK_Home_Garden_FittedCarpets_Underlay_SM&hash=item2c6cbd5516


I clean them out everyday,  I just roll the mats up and everything is contained that way and then clean the box with a solution of poultry shield.

You could try newspaper but that might get a bit slimey too.

Ever so slightly envious yours can go out at a week old  it will be weeks before ours can go out. Hurry up Spring.

[ANHBUC]

I agree with splash on the flooring.

As for splayed leg it is usually in the first few days that they have a problem.  If the flooring isn't slippery they should be fine.  If using wood shavings make sure they are dust extracted.  I have read not to use hay as if they decide to eat it they can get impacted crop.

Don't forget to post some pictures of your new chicks.   

[Sassy]

You don't mention how old your chicks are.  I always used newspaper with kitchen (paper) towel on. Newspaper is too slippery on its own when they are very young but the kitchen towel gives grip and can be just taken up and replaced so its easy. As you only have 2 chicks and it sounds as though you have a reasonable temperature do you really need a100w lamp? 2 chicks will easily get under a 60w lamp which you can lower or higher depending upon how warm they are