brooder bedding question

[capstone]

I looked it up but I am more confused. LOL

I am using paper towels now and I have to change it several times a day because they are poop machines.

I thought I read that someone uses play sand.... so I went and bought clean washed play sand. Then I read that you should not use it. I have a bag of pine chips but read some place you should not use that.

so I am confused now... what should I use?

The chicks are a week old and eating out of a feeder really well.. they are not chicks they are eating machines.

any suggestions ?

 

[GertrudeLover01]

what I use that works and absorbs things well is straw/hay.....I don't know about brooders though!

 

[frostbite]

I used spruce shavings (we don't have access to pine, but pine is fine) I used several inches so I didn't have to change it till the chicks were ready to go in the coop. They did just fine.

 

[utlancem]

Im a newbe but we used hay and changed it out a couple of times. It worked great i thought.

 

[capstone]

okay... well we have hay around as well. Not sure the horses will share but I will ask.. LOL
I will try the shavings first and see how that works. The brooder is in the basement so we will see as far as smell. I want something that I can keep clean for them. I do not want them standing in poo... yuck.

Thank you for the advice.