Anyone using shredded paper for new chicks?

[Dragonfly Ranch]

We are expecting 51 new one day old chicks from McMurray on 2-22-10. Some are laying hens - 24 and other 27 Cornish Rocks for meat. Anyone ever use shredded paper - clean white office paper type? Thinking that would be a lot cheaper than shavings. My immeidate concern is, would they want to eat it?

Sandee

 

[bigdawg]

yes they will eat it. i line my brooder with paper towels then on top of that i put rubber shelf linner that you would use in kitchen cabinets. 6.00 a roll a walmart. when it gets dirty just take it out give it a good shake replace the paper towels and your good for another week. only waste is paper towels. the shelf linner will last a long time. and is washable. no worrys about spradle leg either. they get good traction on the rubber mat.

 

[topeka]

Trying an experiment. Someone on this site mentioned ground corn as litter. I am using ground corn (very cheap) in the bottom of my tupperware brooder. Supposedly it is scoopable, low dust, and has some anti odor properties.

 

[Turner]

Ground corn?? or cobs??

 

[bigdawg]

ground corn is very dusty. not sure of ground cobs.

 

[ChickenToes]

I use wood shavings. I think they would eat the shredded paper.

 

[Doopy]

Ground corn cobs that are used for polishing metal parts or brass ammunition shells in a tumbler is not very dusty and may make a very good bedding material. It is very absorbent and makes a wonderful addition to your compost pile. But I would think it would be a little expensive to use in large quantities.

 

[chicken boy sam]

I used shredded newspaper and it was fine! Everybody else said it was a bad idea, so of course I tried it on my first batch of chicks! I put it in the compost pile and it composted really easily. NOT ONE OF MY CHICKS DIED and I thought that was a pretty good job! I actually found it helpful because it put the old newspaper to work as litter. Some of the pieces were red from the printing, and they used them for entertainment. They would fight over it and run around with it. Later on I'll post a pic!

 

[bigdawg]

ok everyone listen up, chicks are babies, what do babies do, anything and everything that will fit in there mouth, they will eat it, swallow it, blocks there air way and they are dead. you want that for your chicks.

 

[chicken boy sam]

here's a pic: