bedding for week old chicks

[bluedawg]

What sort of bedding do you all use for newly hatched chicks up to a week or so old? I've been using variouse soft "stuff" like old towels over newspaper and such but they sure do poop a lot. I have 7 and I have to clean several times a day... is there an easier way?
-M

 

[gabrielle1976]

I use papertowls for the first week then I use hay, some people use pine but there is a thought that it may be just as dangerous as ceder. Good luck someone else will know more I am shure.

 

[morelcabin]

I use pine shavings, works well for me:>) I put thier feed on a peice of newspaper for the first bit then into a chick feeder

 

[briteday]

I use incontinence pads for the first couple of days. Then I throw shavings on top of the pads. I like the pads because they have a waterproof side and an absorbant side. I put the absorbant side facing up so it soaks up all the wet stuff. They are like puppy pee pads but cheaper if you buy them at a medical supply store.

For shavings I use shredded paper from the diamond cut shredder at work. So far I haven't had one chick try to eat the stuff so it seems to work pretty good. And I don't mind throwing out the whole boxful when I clean every 2-3 days since it's all free and goes in the compost pile. With wood shavings I used to try to "scoop" the bedding like kitty litter to conserve on the amount of shavings I used.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I have horses so I have lots of hay...I just use the scattered 'waste' hay in my chicks boxes and the hen houses.

 

[Buttercupnectar]

My chicks are hatching right now. I lay cheesecloth down for them. After that I use shredded newspaper or the pine shavings. The pine shavings are messy though because they get in the food and water constantly.

Bekah

 

[bluedawg]

Thanks everyone - that's a bunch of ideas. I think I'll try pine shavings.
-M