Official BYC Poll: What Bedding Do YOU Use in The Brooder?

[3KillerBs]

Two weeks; I'd better be getting more pads post haste. I go in to work tomorrow, can get some there. Thanks for this share.

I keep them on shavings from about day 3-4 -- shavings covered with paper towels before that.

IMO, puppy pads are both a waste of money and a potential problem since the solid surface frustrates their natural instincts to dig and scratch. I can claim no scientific support for this idea, but I believe that if you frustrate an animals natural instincts you can be setting up for trouble of some kind down the road.

Yes, puppy pads are praised because chicks *will* kick shavings into their feed and water. But IMO it's better to put the feed and water up on blocks on top of a tote lid or some similar arrangement and allow them to strengthen their legs and sharpen their natural foraging instincts.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I keep them on shavings from about day 3-4 -- shavings covered with paper towels before that.

IMO, puppy pads are both a waste of money and a potential problem since the solid surface frustrates their natural instincts to dig and scratch. I can claim no scientific support for this idea, but I believe that if you frustrate an animals natural instincts you can be setting up for trouble of some kind down the road.

Yes, puppy pads are praised because chicks *will* kick shavings into their feed and water. But IMO it's better to put the feed and water up on blocks on top of a tote lid or some similar arrangement and allow them to strengthen their legs and sharpen their natural foraging instincts.

Time for a poopy puppy pad cleaning anyway. Thanks, since my babies are what . . . six days old guess they qualify for the shavings in their room.

 

[3KillerBs]

Time for a poopy puppy pad cleaning anyway. Thanks, since my babies are what . . . six days old guess they qualify for the shavings in their room.

That should be old enough to know what food is and where to find it instead of trying to eat shavings.

I always buy coarse-flake shavings for chicks.

 

[WingsysRoost]

I've only had chicks once, but I started them out on paper towel. Once they got a bit older, I switched them to small animal paper bedding, then to straw. I had planned to switch from the paper towel straight to straw but couldn't find any at the time. I can't say I would try the straw again because it was very dusty to clean out and it does get soaked very quickly, which in my experience made it more difficult to keep the brooder clean and dry. I would probably just use the same hemp bedding that I use in their coop for my brooder next time, once they are old enough to switch from the paper towel.