Brooder bedding

[kylemarie81]

Has anyone used pellets on the brooder floor? The lady at the feed store recommended them over shavings. Are they okay for the chicks to walk around on? The chicks are 3 days old. Thanks.

 

[brandiscott]

I like the pellets best. I put shavings down then pellets on top for cost reasons. They dont peck and scratch at the pellets as bad and less junk in the water and feed.

 

[kylemarie81]

Do I need the pine shavings under the pellets? Is that for absorption?

 

[DelcoChix]

I use the larger flake shavings so the babies don't eat it, they tend to eat anything small that they can, especially the first few days--put paper towels over the flakes the first couple of days, changing them when needed (and I didn't cover the entire brooder with paper towels, it's 16 square feet!), BUT my feedstore uses the pellets alone in all of their day old chick cages and that seems to work just fine. They do not put shavings over or under them...maybe since they sell the pellets they can afford to use them solo?
They do seem to keep the pens cleaner..when I've used the pellets for my horses they break down over time, since they are just compacted sawdust they turn into the sawdust eventually, due to traffic, water,etc, but wth the little fluffy ones it takes a lot longer before they breakdown--I wouldn't bother with shavings underneath pellets if you decide to go that way, unless it's for a cost saver.

 

[bobcatdan]

We have been using corn cob and the chicks really like it. We have only four chicks so the cost of a 25lb bag that is $16 is not to bad. Also we put newspaper down first then the cob.

 

[kylemarie81]

Thanks everyone!

The pellets were half the price of the shavings at my local feed store so I did get them, but wanted to make sure they were okay to use.

 

[kylemarie81]

We have been using corn cob and the chicks really like it. We have only four chicks so the cost of a 25lb bag that is $16 is not to bad. Also we put newspaper down first then the cob.

I hadn't thought of corn cob. That seems like a good idea. I'll look into it. I only have four chicks also.