brooder bedding

[Kajoda929]

I've found shavings to be the simplest to keep clean since they're absorbent and stay clean for a bit longer than say, paper towels, because they get stirred up and dirt/food/droppings get mixed in. Shavings can also be spot cleaned and aren't slippery. The one issue with them is that the chicks kick them around into the food and water, so that requires some maintenance.
Paper towels are a pain because you have to use alot to keep it clean, in my experience, and that's much more expensive than wood shavings.
Since newspaper isn't very absorbent it would get nasty and like you said slippery - I wouldn't want to deal with that.
I don't know about sand, it doesn't sound too dirty but I feel like it could get too hot if you're using a heat lamp. I know some people use it though.

I used some random bits of wood and built a little ledge for the food and water because of the bedding issue...Was also thinking about getting some Velcro tabs to keep them from knocking the water over when there's less in it(since they're a bit bigger now and jump on it) to hold it steadier...They don't kick the bedding in the water anymore and this crude block isn't tall

I use Aspen shavings btw. I ordered this on Amazon for extremely cheap, but aside from the food and water aspect, it works great!

 

[K0k0shka]

I used play sand in my brooder and LOVED it!!! It's SO easy to clean, compared to the mess of wood shavings. I just scooped it like a cat litter box, but I used a reptile poop scoop, because it has smaller holes (the kitty litter scoop has big holes and lets the poops through, and using any other kind of screen was too impractical and annoying). I had paper towels on top of the sand for the first 4 days, because the chicks were eating too much of it. After 4 days, they knew what food was, and were fine. The brooder was inside my house, in the upstairs hallway, for 3 weeks, then the chicks went out to the coop (on pine shavings). I didn't have any problems with dustiness (from the sand or the chicks), no problems with moisture, no smell. The chicks loved scratching around in the sand and dust bathing. There's nothing I regret about using sand, and would recommend it highly.

Here's what it looked like:

The chicks “helping” me clean:

 

[chickenmama1112]

My first batch of chicks this spring I used wood shavings. My second batch of chicks I choose to use sand. I am so happy I am using sand. It is mess free, smell free, doesnt cause my asthma to flare up the way pine shavings did. Plus sand is so easy to clean and is relatively maintenance free.

 

[tizabel_]

I used play sand in my brooder and LOVED it!!! It's SO easy to clean, compared to the mess of wood shavings. I just scooped it like a cat litter box, but I used a reptile poop scoop, because it has smaller holes (the kitty litter scoop has big holes and lets the poops through, and using any other kind of screen was too impractical and annoying). I had paper towels on top of the sand for the first 4 days, because the chicks were eating too much of it. After 4 days, they knew what food was, and were fine. The brooder was inside my house, in the upstairs hallway, for 3 weeks, then the chicks went out to the coop (on pine shavings). I didn't have any problems with dustiness (from the sand or the chicks), no problems with moisture, no smell. The chicks loved scratching around in the sand and dust bathing. There's nothing I regret about using sand, and would recommend it highly.

Here's what it looked like:
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View attachment 2161983

The chicks “helping” me clean:
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View attachment 2161986

Thats adorable!!

 

[BYC Project Manager]

So I've been searching the threads and I can't seem to find a definitive answer to brooder bedding. I know it is mostly personal preference, but I like clarity. I have a friend who only uses newspaper in her brooders (but then I read it's too slippery), I google bedding and read that someone else uses plastic shelf liner and paper towel (paper towel is like gold right now, along with TP so I don't want to waste what stock I have and I don;t have shelf liner), more people on google seem to use sand (I research and find that most sand has silica, which is a carcinogen, so i dont want to use that). HELP.
Someone please lay it out for me lol. I read people like shavings/wood chips but that they are a pain to clean. I want/need something easy and simple to clean and use.

This is a good thread you started here @NewChkinTown. Congrats, it's now featured on the homepage to help others who may be in the same dilemma you were in.

 

[lanieschicks]

I use pine shaving for my chicks and its worked great for us. They did kick it around into their water and food when they were smaller but I just raised their containers (I put them on top of bricks lol) and that solved that issue. My chickens are 5 weeks old now and they’re doing just fine with pine shavings still

 

[FortCluck]

I use pine shavings for all things I hatch. It stays clean and is easy to clean.

 

[mapurcel]

Paper towel has always been there for me! I know it isn't the easiest to come across these days...

 

[CaradineCousins]

I use paper towels, but i have 4 removable boards for the floor that i remove 1 after each week and i have wire hardware cloth for the bottom with a metal tray to collect the droppings.

 

[Matzwd]

My first time brooding, I used pine shavings. They worked ok, but I thought there must be a solution with easier upkeep.

Next time, I tried construction sand. It worked well for a bit, but sand definitely traps moisture. I sifted it daily, but OMG! It definitely held onto odor, even mixed with sweet PDZ. I won't be using it again. Plus, it got into the leg mechanisms of my brooder plate.

My next go around, I went with pelletized horse bedding. This was an amazing substrate for me. It absorbed odors and moisture really well. I just stir it every few days, and I don't have to even change it until I move the chicks out of the brooder. I have used it ever since my first attempt with it. Love it!