Brooder bedding

[SavageChick]

I've been using the non-slip grip drawer liner in my brooder as well. I was told to use this to avoid hatchlings from developing "crooked/curled toe." I should mention this: Once, while raising some bantam and leghorn chicks, I tried using a terrarium carpet (meant for lizards, toads, and smaller reptiles), but quickly discovered that the chicks' claws would get hung up on the tiny carpet threads. The grip liner has worked well to avoid this problem, so I've been using this with no problems. I have two grip liners measured to size for our brooder, and I have found that I need to rotate them every other day, as the droppings pile up quickly.

 

[quailtrail]

TY!!! So excited for lockdown tomorrow! !!

 

[Bparrott85]

I use peat moss in my brooder. It's more absorbent then wood shavings and the chicks love to dust in it

 

[underground chickenman]

Paper towels for 3-4 days, then wire. Half inch hardware cloth over pine shavings to catch the droppings.

 

[ColleenC]

I'm not an expert, as I'm just brooding some quail for the first time now, but I'm using a product I got at a local pet store made from reclaimed wood pulp. It's sort of like clumps of brown paper material. For the first 3 days I put paper towels on top of this to make sure they knew where and what their food was so they didn't wind up eating the bedding. Now they're just on about an inch of this stuff and they seem to really enjoy rummaging around in it. On the first day I removed the paper towels one even grabbed a chunk of it in his/her beak and ran around with it, playing keep-away from the other quail. It was hilarious.

 

[luckydux]

Ha

Paper towels for 3-4 days, then wire.  Half inch hardware cloth over pine shavings to catch the droppings.  

Half inch? They must have some big feet

 

[laseterlass]

We are trying wood stove pellets for the first time this week. They are 1 week old.

 

[ccgamebirds]

Thanks for the info. I will check out my local pet store.

 

[Stellar]

For brooders we use equine pine pellets sold at our tractor supply

 

[ccgamebirds]

Thanks for the info.