brooder

[robbynmchugh]

Hi,
I am setting up our brooder and the feed store I went to said I shouldn't put pine shaving on brooder floor because the chicks might eat them and then drink and they would expand inside of them and they would die. I am confused because many books and photos I have seen say to use pine shavings? Any thoughts?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I use it all the time.... Its pine not rice.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I use paper towels for the first week and then shavings. They need to learn where their food is and start eating first. Once they do, then the shavings are fine.

 

[ERnoleGuy]

Pine shavings worked great for me. Granted I got my chicks as "day old" chicks (more like a FEW days old) and never had a problem.

 

[acbear93]

I have always used pine shavings too, and never had a problem...if their food and water is available, they will pay attention to that...I think they pick up the shavings out of curiosity, but I have never had a problem losing a chick to over-ingestion of pine shavings...

 

[Burbs]

Ditto.

 

[newchickmom09]

My chicks are three weeks old and they have been on pine bedding from Walmart. The first week I had paper towels over the pine so they chicks would learn what there food was like others have said. After they were a week old I took the paper towels off the bedding and the chicks acted like children on Christmas morning.

They had the most fun time scratching through everything.

Just put paper towels over it, plus it is very easy clean up.

Just roll up and put new stuff down. My chicks got to run in the bedding for a few minutes until I got it covered up with paper towels again. They are happy healthy chicks.