brooder bedding

[Simimaus]

I feel your pain. I’m using pine shavings. They always get into food and water. Even if I elevate food and water. Tried newspaper, they tear it up and then I have the same problem. Tried sand in coop under roost. It draws moisture out of air. No good. Would love to have a better solution.
our meat chickens ( jumbo Cornish crosses) freak out everytime I’m tff egg yong to change or add shavings

Don’t know why my last sentence is so messed up. Meant to say they are freaking out every time I’m trying to add or change shavings

 

[Gallinarium]

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.

Shavings are very easy to use, in my experience. But what you don't usually see on the list, but works great is small animal bedding, like Carefresh. It's expensive, so I don't often use it, but it's a lot less expensive than paper towels.

 

[zooinmypocket]

I've tried play sand in the brooder for Cornish X, but it didn't make enough of a difference or keep the dust down anymore than the shavings I was using. That and they poop an incredible amount. Currently my system is at least 4 layers of newspaper on the bottom, a healthy amount of shavings, and for the first few days, 1 layer of paper towels over the entire bottom, and after that just under the waterer and feeder. I use shavings with DE in it. Although I am considering switching to pee pads, but I use adult incontinence pads as they hold more liquid than puppy pads and for me they are more readily accessible. I used adult pads with my heeler puppy from 3-9 months old for potty training, she would always move when going so the larger surface area helps.

 

[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 great thread @NewChkinTown and is now featured on our homepage. Congrats, and we hope it will help many others with the same question in mind!

 

[ChickNanny13]

The sounds great. I did the same except for PDZ. I think I might start out with PDZ and pine shavings in my coop.

Does not need to be a heavy layer, like salting you food.

 

[igorsMistress]

I vote for pine pellets. They soak up messes better than anything else, are cheap and don't get all over the place like shavings.

 

[Teresa D]

I've seen people use pine needles which I have plenty of. Anyone have thoughts about that?

 

[Teresa D]

Another question I am interested in knowing any ideas. When they are in there coop they are always naturally pecking. I am using shavings I would like to have something in there coop for them to peck.

 

[Teresa D]

I just put them in there new coop yesterday and they absolutely loved it. 4 weeks old 2 days ago. I let them play in there run first my husband insisted they needed time out side. While I was getting their coop ready, I left the coop door open. To my SURPISE they all came in on there own!!!! I was elated they enjoyed being in their coop more than outside. I was amazed. I have a monitor in the coop and no chirps at all!

 

[Neggative]

whatever you do do NOT use anything cedar!!! it can kill chicks....