Best Bedding for Brooder?

[MartinsPoultry]

I always start mine on shavings or hay, they are all fine. I mix chick grit into their food so they can get to it.

 

[snow5164]

Why do I always do something different??
I use paper towels for the first week, just so they can eat everything that's on the ground, then I use sand in my brooder ,
I start them in a small corner of it on an inch or less of sand . I scoop poop if it becomes messy , but let's face it their poop is really small at that age and the sand dries it out . They love scratching in the sand and theres nothing cuter then a very tiny chick " dust bathing!!"

 

[NorthTexasWink]

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

 

[MjsChickens]

Thank you all for replying! I have been sick today (migraine ), so I just checked this thread. I might switch to sand later, and I have some rubberized shelf liner on standby. Do you guys put anything under the liner, to make it more soft and "bedding" like? (One of my weirdest questions, gotta start somewhere I guess )

 

[rjohns39]

Thank you all for replying! I have been sick today (migraine ), so I just checked this thread. I might switch to sand later, and I have some rubberized shelf liner on standby. Do you guys put anything under the liner, to make it more soft and "bedding" like? (One of my weirdest questions, gotta start somewhere I guess )

If the bedding is really wet I'll add some pdz. I don't change bedding between batches of birds, instead I just add more bedding. I have a friend who after long analysis discovered he was killing off good bacteria by disinfecting his brooder, but not getting all of the bad.

 

[dunnmom]

It's not necessary for the floor to be soft. If you want them to have a soft spot but not use shavings, you could put in a folded dish or hand towel. They will poop all over it, of course, but it will wash fine if you get the big chunks knocked off. My mom uses papertowels on top of newspaper, and a microfiber towel for a "bed", and that's what I plan to try next time I need to brood. It seems cleaner and easier to manage than the shavings were.

 

[getaclue]

I don't put anything under the rubberized shelf liner. They do fine with it that way.

 

[Ayam onthe Farm]

I use straw and have used it MANY times and never have had any problem with it. A 100 watt bulb about 2 feet up keeps them just right with the lid from the container covering half of it so they can get cooler if they want.. If you never have had Guineas, I would definitely reconsider. We had some last year and they were VERY loud and VERY obnoxious most of the day and ended up getting rid of them.

 

[Abriana]

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.

They will not eat the shavings. They might pick up and eat a few, just to see what they are, but they will not eat them like food. Always use pine, never ceder, because ceder is poisonous can't remember much about it, but i know not to use ceder. Don't use any slippery things for the bottom of the brooder box such as plastic, cardboard, etc because they can get spraddle leg. Make sure the shavings are thick. You can use a towel if you are concerned about them eating the shavings, or if they happen to eat them for some reason, but the laundry is not going to be so nice!

 

[MjsChickens]

@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