Am I the only one that doesn't use shavings??

[MissPrissy]

Each room in my barn is 20 x 25 give or take. I use a combination of straw and shavings. If you have a lumber mill nearby you can usually get a truck load (like mulch but not mulch) for about $20. I had no choice but to seek out alternatives to 'package litter'.

 

[Wynette]

I PREFER that the shavings absorbs the moisture; this way, when I clean out the brooder (which, in my case, is a recycled horse trough), I know I'm getting all the dampness out of the environment. If all the wet poo fell to the bottom, the actual brooder would be wet. Not a big problem, as I'd just need mroe time to make sure it's dried out after disinfection. But, with the shavings, I just sweep them up and the floor/walls are dry. Works for me! Everyone has different methods they prefer.

 

[McGoo]

hmmmm... I use corn cob pellet in the litter try under the roost. I hadn't really thought about it for the little ones. Would they try to eat it?

Right now my plan is to use paper towels for 3 or 4 days and they pine shavings.

Please explain what the issues are with pine shavings? or is it just easier to use the corn cob pellets.

thanks

 

[farm_mom]

We use straw. We usually put it through our chipper/shredder first. We've been using it for years and never had an issue.

 

[speckledhen]

I've seen that type litter, but it looks so much like pelleted feed, I would be leery of using it. I've had no trouble from pine shavings. They rarely eat more than a few pecks of those anyway.

 

[Chellester]

I use straw for everything that has a dirt floor, and wood shavings for anything that has a wood floor. Has always worked well for me.

 

[GwenFarms]

I haven't had problems with mine eating it, but if they did it wouldn't be harmful. Which is one of the things that make it safer, particularly for the all of these folks that are having problems. As I said earlier the main problem for me using pine shavings is that I set up a large brooder with a draft shield, I can't change it daily as alot of folks are able to with the smaller bin type brooders. Moisture becomes a real concern for me. I don't use the corn cob pellets, but have in the past and they worked great. I usually get the litter, its broken into pieces and almost looks like large feed crumbles. I raised fifty three chicks in my last batch and haven't had a single loss. I have had no impaction issues, no issues with colds, or infections, no dust related weezing. They are out in the big coop now. Since I've raised chicks without using shavings, which has been about five years now, I don't feel like I've had any losses due to brooder related issue out of hundreds of chicks.

 

[spudchild]

I used corn cob litter once, but had a problem with the babies eating it, instead of their chicken feed. My vet said not to use pine shavings, as it can burn their eyes. I use pine straw, which I can buy at any landscape supply place.

 

[speckledhen]

My vet said not to use pine shavings, as it can burn their eyes.

Now, that's a new one on me. Maybe that would be true if they weren't dried pine shavings and were fresh sawdust from the tree, but I seriously doubt pine shavings would burn their eyes. Definitely dont use cedar because of the respiratory issues with aromatic oils, though.​

 

[GwenFarms]

Quote:
If they are picking at it you could use the pellets instead of litter. I've stayed away for pine straw in my coop since it became infested with mites once. This was straw from my woods, they may treat the stuff you buy.