Alternative Brooder Bedding Ideas?

mylilchix

Songster
11 Years
Jun 11, 2008
1,364
10
169
Front Range, Colorado
Good morning,
I'm tired of using pine shavings in the brooder. I'm wondering what other people are using in their brooders other than shavings. I'd really like to find something different!
Thanks, Sonja
 
Pine pellets, not quite as dusty and not as smelly--I'm using them in the cat box now too.
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I use pine pellets (used as horse or other animal bedding). They dissolve into sawdust when dampened, and keep things odor-free for the most part. Paper towels on top of that would make better footing for little ones, but I use mine as is.
 
Quote:
My feed store said they were the same things.

I use the wood pellets, too and they're wonderful! They really cut down on the dust and the smell. You won't have to change the brooder near as often as you did with pine shavings.
 
I'll have to try that!! I have 28 chicks on pine shavings. It seems like I change the bedding, and by the end of the day they stink again. I don't like the dust either. Thanks for the help!!
Sonja
 
I use straw. It's great because they can't kick it into the water as easily so the food and water stay cleaner. I only use it for older chicks because the tiny ones would probably have trouble walking on it.
 
I started w/ pine shavings last year but I changed to play sand after a few weeks.. So easy to go in each day and scoop up poop w/ a kitty litter scoop. They loved dusting in it. When they moved into their coop I just dumped all the sand in their run. I'm starting out w/ sand this year, although I think I'll cover w/ paper towels for a couple of days till they figure out where the food is.
 

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