Brooder Bedding??

[Debbiedodo]

I used sand in a rubber stock tank last year and plan on it again this year. I used paper towels on it at first and then just the sand. I scooped it once a day with a fine sieve and it worked great. When our power went out on their first night home, the mass of the warm sand kept the chicks warm until the power came back on. The chicks loved stretching out on the warm sand to nap. My husband buys the sand for sand blasting and I used about 60-70lbs from a 100 lb bag. The sand lasted about 4 weeks for 15 chicks until we moved them to larger quarters. Then we put the sand in an old wash tub and they used it for a dust bath until we moved them outside.

 

[eking121121]

I've had chicks suffocate when using hay as bedding, so I definitely wouldn't recommend that.

 

[copain97]

Pine Shavings. I don't like newspaper because it is very slick for the chicks that cause feet/leg problems. It also gets very messy quick. Shavings last quite a while and they dry up the poop very fast.

Nate

We have been using rice hauls for a couple of years with great success. We buy them in compacted 6 cubit feet bags

 

[copain97]

We have been using rice hauls for a couple of years with great success. We buy them in compacted 6 cubit feet bags

 

[paneubert]

Has anybody used the shredded cardboard/paper that is not slick - like the kind they sell for exotic pet habitat?

We use that for our pet rat and chinchilla, so we have it already on hand.

Used that for a couple hundred quail. Started with puppy pads and then just dumped that stuff on top after a few days.