Baby Chicks Eating Pine Shavings

[snow5164]

Why take the chance ?? I put my day olds on paper towel with that shelf liner stuff underneath, then if their poop soaks threw they won't slip .Then after a week or two onto sand they go, it's safe and easy to clean .

You can never be too cautious, they are small for such a short time why not eliminate the hazards you see??Same reason we put marbles in the water dish.

I don't care if someone has raised a hundred thousand chicks on pine... I won't do it!!

I gave my kids tough love lessons when they were old enough to understand , not my chicks

 

[jburts]

I just put pine shavings in they are now 6 weeks old
so far so good but they are trying to eat them a little but not much, I had to get rid of the pellet bedding one of them got a sore foot that I think came from walking on the pellet bedding, she is the biggest one, when I put the shavings in last week they tried to eat some, but then quit and then I went back to the pellet, until tonight changed back to pine shavings the big stuff, and now they are checking them out again, and playing with it, will watch and make sure they don't continue to eat it, they should get bored with it at some point,

 

[Madisoncd]

NO!!! Take the chicks from the shavings! Not safe. I had my new chicks for 1 hour and they were happy and basking under their heat lamp and one began throwing it's head back and flapping crazily. It was gasping. I tried to see anything in it's throat. I couldn't see a thing. It was salivating and bubbling like crazy. I tried to rub it but it died. My 7 year old son almost started to cry. I was really upset. We just got these babies, we never had chickens before. I called my supplier and she told me it happens occasionally, that it happened to her also and recommended using towels as being babies they are 'stupid' and will eat anything without realizing the danger. Don't take the chance with pine shavings, it's too horrible watching them die and being helpless to save them.

The gasping and all that might mean they are way too hot. What you mentioned is signs of heat exhaustion.

 

[Maxine9929]

Okay, thanks guys! I will put paper towels over the shavings right away! I definitely don't want my babies to get choked on pine shavings.

I wish I had known this.
Mine are 4 days old and my last ones had bedding from start and bowl of food and grit.

I cleaned broader and put pine shavings down.
I went outside for 3 hours gardening and came in and one passed away, another one falling over can't stand and 3 more having problems.

I didn't know

I may loose all of them