Best Bedding for Brooder?

[MjsChickens]

I planned on using pine shavings, but since my chicks will be about a day old, I didn't want to risk them eating the shavings... I have heard of people putting paper towels over the pine shavings for a couple days, but wouldn't they pick through/around the paper towels? I will also be getting keets, but I know they would eat the shavings, so I have an old towel in there, but I also have rubber shelf liner available. My main concern is the chicks, as I don't want them to eat pine shavings and not being able to digest them properly... Thanks for advice in advance.

 

[azygous]

The danger of new baby chicks consuming their bedding is way overblown. I've watched the little shavers from day one, and they barely eat anything for the first three days or so, let alone enough bedding to choke off life.

For one thing, they are so tiny, they will want to eat very tiny morsels, not big pine flakes. I've had my one-day olds on sand bedding and they will eat a certain amount of that substance. But there is no danger as long as they have access to water and know how to drink it. Any excess will flush through their systems.

The only real reason to place toweling over the shavings for the first few days is so the babies can find their food easier and sprinkling it over the ground does enable them to find the crumbles faster than just leaving them to discover the feeder. The toweling also enables you to observe their poops and discover any issues early such as a chick not pooping or one with diarrhea or bloody stools.

It matters very little what bedding you use. Choose whatever you feel will make your life easier.

 

[Isaac 0]

My chicks don't eat the wood chips.It seems the ducklings eat it more.They should be fine but you can provide chick grit to help them digest it better.

 

[BlueShadow]

@Ayam onthe Farm I have never had guineas, but we do have tons of land and the perfect environment. Honestly, I have heard tons about their flightiness and noise issues, but even though they sound terrible pets I am only keeping them for tick control (lone star). They are the only things that might help stop ticks without chemicals. I am willing to make the trade off for loud and skittish guineas than getting 40 ticks on me when I walk outside

Guineas aren't so bad. They definitely are not "pets" and they have a very distinct personality than chickens. They certainly are loud and not nearly as friendly as chickens. However, if I may make a couple suggestions about raising them, I think you will be happier with your guineas. I hope you are getting at least 10 of them. Guineas are flock birds and are only happy in larger groups.

First, do not raise them with the chicks. Guineas raised with chicks think that chickens are the same kind of bird as they are. This turns into problems as they get older because guineas are very aggressive birds, and they will turn that aggressiveness on the chickens also (chasing, bullying, pulling out feathers, etc.). If you raise them separately, they are far more likely to just ignore the chickens.

Also, spend a lot of time with them. I never end up handling my chicks very much, but I do spend a lot of time with them. As the chicks get older, I enlarge the brooder so I can walk in it to add feed and change water, so they see me. I will sit outside their pen and watch their antics. That sort of thing, so they see you every day. They will be much calmer around people then. Probably not coming up to you sort of friendly, but at least they won't squawk and fly away when they see you.

Finally, wherever you want them to be as adults, get them moved to those quarters as young as possible. It takes them several weeks to imprint on a location, and it can be tedious to move them as adults unless you keep them completely locked in (but then where is your tick control?)
I find guineas to be very independent and opinionated birds, but they also amuse me. Check out the forum for guineas here on BYC for more information and help on raising guineas.

 

[RonC]

I always hang my feeder and water so they are adjustable as the chicks grow. Keep them just high enough the smallest chick can still eat and drink. Keeps the food and water cleaner and less soggy bedding.

 

[RonC]

I had a beach towel in the bottom of mine for a few days. Actually two so I could switch them out for cleaning. I have always used the large pine flakes from TSC. Most of it is too big for them to eat.

 

[RonC]

I've never had a problem with them eating it. They will pick it up and taste it but they are going to pick up anything you put in the brooder. I stirred mine around daily to get fresh litter to the top. They do a pretty good job or stirring it too. My last ones were in the brooder only three weeks and never I changed it. Bigger brooder with less chicks. My first batch of chicks the litter was about 6 inches deep when I started and had to change it after about three weeks with six chicks in a 2x4 brooder. As they got bigger so did the poops and it took about a week on the second change but they went out to the coop/run and the litter in the trash.

 

[ckelley]

They will be fine.I have some broody hen raised chicks outside right now and they eat all sorts of stuff.Its only there natural instinct to scratch around and eat stuff,.

So true! I think they are like "Can I eat this?! Can I eat this?! How about this?! Oh, you have something... I'm going to eat it!"

 

[NorthTexasWink]

Get a cat litter scooper with the largest openings you see. Makes spot cleaning easier and your bedding last longer.

 

[ckelley]

I've tried everything. Sand, straw even a towel. Best thing I've found is XL puppy pee pads. Easy to switch out and cheap. 30 for $10 at Walmart.