Brooder inside - best bedding for low dust

[PDXcluck]

We've got 3 chicks (1@4 week, 2@ 3 weeks) in a 2x4 ft box in our living room. We are currently using pine shavings for bedding. The box won't fit in the bathroom and the bathroom isn't that big anyways, the other three rooms in the house are taken. The garage could theoretically handle them but I don't want to attract mice (already dealt with those last fall and haven't had any back since) and there isn't much space there either. I could build a wood box with small screen on top, but I want (need) to dedicate all building time (limited) to the coop.

So, with all that said, the dust from the pine shavings is bothering my wife and I am looking for dust reducing ideas. Will switching to sand reduce dust? How about switching to wood pellets? Any other ideas? I am planning on moving them to the coop as soon as it's done, but that will likely be at least another 2-3 weeks. I could also build a plywood box, mouse proof it the best I can, and put them in garage, if that's the only low-dust option.

Thanks!

 

[kengland]

We used hog fuel. No smell, cleans up easy, and little dust. It runs around 4 bucks a bag. I have nine birds and go through very little of the product

 

[PaintedWolf]

Chicks just seem to produce a lot of dust, no matter what. I started with pine pellets and felt that they were perhaps the least dusty of any bedding I've tried. Then I switched to sand, thinking it might help with the dust problem as some people have recommended, but now there is dust everywhere! I like sand for the fact that it is easy to clean and I like knowing that the chicks are always on clean bedding....but holy cow....the dust is awful!

I'm going to say the pine pellets are the best for preventing dust so far. Hog fuel sounds interesting too...

 

[donrae]

I think the chicks just produce the stuff. No other animal I've kept in the house , no matter what the bedding, has produced so much dust. I really do think it's the fluff or something from their bodies, not the bedding. I use hay, but my chicks are brooded out in the barn and I already have the hay.