Brooder Bedding??

[donrae]

I use grass hay.

 

[iLoveRoosters]

I tried to avoid Newspaper because it's super slick for the baby chicks feet. You should try paper towel or wood shavings. Pine Wood shavings smell delicious and masks the smell very well and it is easier to clean out.

 

[bnjrob]

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.

 

[snooptwomey]

I use pine shaving from right out of the incubator. Mine havent been eating it. I immediately show them to the food and water, and they dont bother trying to investigate eating the shavings, atleast mine dont. I now have two 3 week old EE's and two 4 day old Jersey Giants in together, getting along great, and eggs in the incubator due to hatch this coming weekend, 14 eggs but not sure how many will hatch, it appeared atleast 5 will, 3 blue red laced wyandottes and 2 auburn java's, couldnt tell how many of the 9 EE eggs from my own hens will hatch. I will need to expand the brooder to give more space for the bigger chicks so they leave the little ones alone for first few days, but the little ones will come right into the brooder with pine shavings from the incubator.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I am using oak leaves from my yard. We have like 12 oak trees, so it seemed the thrifty option. I used a sheet the first 4-5 days and then took it out. Needless to say, they like the leaves a lot better.

 

[cva34]

Cardboard cut to size then Pine Shaveing then with Paper Towels when little then .Then no more paper towels...cva34

 

[Snozzle]

I think it's time to switch to something new too. The little wyandotte shredded the paper towel within 5 minutes trying to dust bathe on it this evening

 

[LaynaDon95]

I think it's time to switch to something new too. The little wyandotte shredded the paper towel within 5 minutes trying to dust bathe on it this evening

Awwww. Mine just learned how to dust bathe 3-4 days ago. I was so happy when I peeked into their brooder and saw their feathers coated in DE and not their beaks I didn't mind them eating DE because it's good wormer, but it's much cuter to watch them dust bathe.

 

[Snozzle]

Awwww. Mine just learned how to dust bathe 3-4 days ago. I was so happy when I peeked into their brooder and saw their feathers coated in DE and not their beaks I didn't mind them eating DE because it's good wormer, but it's much cuter to watch them dust bathe.

It's sad, the wyandottes and americaunas that hatched February 8th are already masters of dust bathing and my 3 month old silkies still haven't figured it out and roll around trying to figure out exactly what they need to do and looking at me confused like I am supposed to show them what to do. I love my fluffheads though

 

[Snozzle]

I think I will get some DE today, I have actually never used it, but from what I have read it sounds like great stuff and all natural. My minis will enjoy it, maybe the silkies will figure out the whole bathing thing and the dogs and cats need to have their spring worming. Gotta call my vet though and make sure our chihuahua mix Alley can have it, she has a liver shunt and is on a very restricted diet anything that has to be filtered by her liver too much will give her seizure like symptoms