First time chick mom!

mderby48

Chirping
6 Years
Feb 10, 2013
256
4
81
Mexico, NY
I am getting my first chicks today (yayyyy) I'm too excited! I was wondering if its okay to use sawdust for bedding in the brooder?
 
Congratulations and
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.Personally mine were raised on the large pine flakes from TSC, a lot bigger pieces of wood. Had no problems with it.They will peck at their bedding and sawdust would be too fine. Some prefer the pine pellets or use sand. Don't use newspaper, it's too slick and can cause leg problems. Some recommend putting paper towels over the shavings for a few days till they learn what is and isn't food. Put several inches of bedding in the brooder so they can dig and scratch at it. Stays clean longer too if they can "stir" the bedding. Hang their food and water if possible to keep foreign material out of it. If unable to hang it elevate it on a brick or board. It can be as high as their back and they will reach it.
 
I didn't. Paper towels over top of pine bedding for us.

Just my opinion!! (I'm still new myself!)
 
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Sawdust is not good for any age chicken, muchless chicks. It can cause respiratory problems, and some types of wood are bad for chickens. Put a thick layering of paper towel down today, and go get some pine shavings for later. The towels just need to be changed out when they are soiled heavily, and are great for the first week of chicks. They do taste the pine shavings and this will be better while they are finding out what their food is.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone! I didn't think sawdust would good but my husband kept insisting it was fine. I think he is just being cheap because we already have a giant pile if sawdust for the horses anyway. He will picking up some pine bedding and more paper towels today. I'm so excited!
 
I will definetly post picks! The chicks are already 2 weeks old, they are RIR and NHR. I also ordered 25 that will be here the first week of March!
 

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