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Does anyone know what the best bedding for 1 day old chicks is?

post #1 of 25
7/23/12 at 1:37pm
Thread Starter 

I am so confused because i heard newpaper can stick to their feet / become slippery and cause leg problems.  I also heard chick's can consume pine woodshavings and get clogged up and die/ cedar is toxic. Would towels would be best? But it could get dirty very quickly!   th.gif

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post #2 of 25
7/23/12 at 1:40pm

pine shavings  :)

Stephanie in VA  3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 14 chickens- hens: 2 leghorns, 2 golden comets,         2 australorps, 2 barred rocks, 1 NH Red, 1 LF buff brahma. Roosters: LF light brahma, 2 bantam cochins (1 black/multi colored frizzle, and one buff/red colored) blue orpington. My neighbors RIR rooster has recently moved in. I guess he is staying too 

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Stephanie in VA  3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 14 chickens- hens: 2 leghorns, 2 golden comets,         2 australorps, 2 barred rocks, 1 NH Red, 1 LF buff brahma. Roosters: LF light brahma, 2 bantam cochins (1 black/multi colored frizzle, and one buff/red colored) blue orpington. My neighbors RIR rooster has recently moved in. I guess he is staying too 

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post #3 of 25
7/23/12 at 1:40pm

I use paper towels they won't slip on them and you can change them out easily.

Chickens: 3 Basque Hens, 4 Olandsk Dwarfs, 5 Swedish Flower Hens, and 2 Seramas.

 

Ducks: 1 Khaki campbell, 1 Black Crested duck, 4 Muscovies, and a Mallard that visits every once in a while .

 

Geese: 2 Old English.

 

Chicks/Juveniles: 10 Basque Hens, 12 Swedish Flower Hens, 5 Rhodebars, and  2 Seramas.

 

Website: http://blackwalnutfarms.webs.com/

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Chickens: 3 Basque Hens, 4 Olandsk Dwarfs, 5 Swedish Flower Hens, and 2 Seramas.

 

Ducks: 1 Khaki campbell, 1 Black Crested duck, 4 Muscovies, and a Mallard that visits every once in a while .

 

Geese: 2 Old English.

 

Chicks/Juveniles: 10 Basque Hens, 12 Swedish Flower Hens, 5 Rhodebars, and  2 Seramas.

 

Website: http://blackwalnutfarms.webs.com/

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post #4 of 25
7/23/12 at 1:42pm

We got our day olds last week and are using pine shavings.  Have not had any problems.

Mother of 4 Chicks 2 Easter Eggers, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Rhode Island Red.  In our urban backyard farm with my wonderful husband and two spoiled dogs.

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Mother of 4 Chicks 2 Easter Eggers, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Rhode Island Red.  In our urban backyard farm with my wonderful husband and two spoiled dogs.

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post #5 of 25
7/23/12 at 1:44pm

We've used pine shavings without any trouble for three years-both for egg layers and meaties.  Have never lost any (at least not until when they were all grown up...tumor, egg-bound, fox, raccoons...and so on!) as youngsters...knock on wood!

"Be still and know that I am God"     Psalms 46:10
One patient husband, two great kids,  2 Aussies, 3 cats, 3 Quarter Horses, 1 Shetland pony, some fish...
The 'girls': 5/Buckeyes, , 1/RIR, , 2/EE's, 1/Buff Orp, 1 BCM, 2 Wellies, 1 Sp.Sussex ,2 BLRW , 3 M.F.D'Uccle bantam pullets, and one lovely Silkie girl named "Guac," since "Moley's" life ended due to an evil raccoon...

 

 

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"Be still and know that I am God"     Psalms 46:10
One patient husband, two great kids,  2 Aussies, 3 cats, 3 Quarter Horses, 1 Shetland pony, some fish...
The 'girls': 5/Buckeyes, , 1/RIR, , 2/EE's, 1/Buff Orp, 1 BCM, 2 Wellies, 1 Sp.Sussex ,2 BLRW , 3 M.F.D'Uccle bantam pullets, and one lovely Silkie girl named "Guac," since "Moley's" life ended due to an evil raccoon...

 

 

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post #6 of 25
7/23/12 at 1:46pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks guys! :)

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post #7 of 25
7/23/12 at 1:49pm

I just read about a shard of pine shaving in a chick's neck as a warning not to use pine. I suppose it could happen, but as I read the rest of the story, it sounded absolutely ridiculous; feeding the baby chick with her own mouth, mixing in infant formula and infant rice cereal in with the chick food, eventually moving on to mashed hot dogs at 5 days of age...some chick rescue place for unwanted or abused chickens.

lol I just read a bit more..she makes a napkin and napkin ring nest for the baby chicken with a tent instead of using pine http://chickenheavenonearth.weebly.com/pine-bedding-can-be-dangerous-to-baby-chicks.html

 

I have heard (and believed) that cedar is toxic.

 

There is a lot of nonsense on the web. I think there is an agenda to dissuade people from having backyard chickens...  http://www.chow.com/food-news/104627/the-dark-side-of-backyard-chickens/


Edited by Stephanie739 - 7/23/12 at 2:11pm

Stephanie in VA  3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 14 chickens- hens: 2 leghorns, 2 golden comets,         2 australorps, 2 barred rocks, 1 NH Red, 1 LF buff brahma. Roosters: LF light brahma, 2 bantam cochins (1 black/multi colored frizzle, and one buff/red colored) blue orpington. My neighbors RIR rooster has recently moved in. I guess he is staying too 

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Stephanie in VA  3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 14 chickens- hens: 2 leghorns, 2 golden comets,         2 australorps, 2 barred rocks, 1 NH Red, 1 LF buff brahma. Roosters: LF light brahma, 2 bantam cochins (1 black/multi colored frizzle, and one buff/red colored) blue orpington. My neighbors RIR rooster has recently moved in. I guess he is staying too 

Reply
post #8 of 25
7/23/12 at 1:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DelcoChix View Post

We've used pine shavings without any trouble for three years-both for egg layers and meaties.  Have never lost any (at least not until when they were all grown up...tumor, egg-bound, fox, raccoons...and so on!) as youngsters...knock on wood!


I've never lost a baby due to pine...in fact all of my baby chicks have thrived.

Stephanie in VA  3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 14 chickens- hens: 2 leghorns, 2 golden comets,         2 australorps, 2 barred rocks, 1 NH Red, 1 LF buff brahma. Roosters: LF light brahma, 2 bantam cochins (1 black/multi colored frizzle, and one buff/red colored) blue orpington. My neighbors RIR rooster has recently moved in. I guess he is staying too 

Reply

Stephanie in VA  3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats, and 14 chickens- hens: 2 leghorns, 2 golden comets,         2 australorps, 2 barred rocks, 1 NH Red, 1 LF buff brahma. Roosters: LF light brahma, 2 bantam cochins (1 black/multi colored frizzle, and one buff/red colored) blue orpington. My neighbors RIR rooster has recently moved in. I guess he is staying too 

Reply
post #9 of 25
7/23/12 at 1:52pm
I have always used paper towels. It is so easy to keep clean!

Zak

 

Raising spoiled Silver Laced Wyandottes

 

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Zak

 

Raising spoiled Silver Laced Wyandottes

 

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post #10 of 25
7/23/12 at 2:09pm

I used soft, white towels. They loved them! (Albeit, I did change them twice per day - washed in hot water) After the chicks were ready to move outdoors, I threw the towels that had been used into the washer on hot with bleach. -can't tell they were ever used for chickens. Also, I didn't have to mess with shavings.

Wife of 21 years to a dear husband, mama to 2 children, 3 Golden Comets, 2 Old English Game bantams, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Golden Laced Wyandotte, 1 bearded Belgian d'Anver, 1 Japanese bantam, 1 budgie, 1 sugar glider, 1 Roborovski hamster, and a feisty Yorkshire terrier
 

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Wife of 21 years to a dear husband, mama to 2 children, 3 Golden Comets, 2 Old English Game bantams, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Golden Laced Wyandotte, 1 bearded Belgian d'Anver, 1 Japanese bantam, 1 budgie, 1 sugar glider, 1 Roborovski hamster, and a feisty Yorkshire terrier
 

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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Raising Baby Chicks › Does anyone know what the best bedding for 1 day old chicks is?