Cat Litter

[rschunk]

I hadn't considered the 'clumping' problem associated with the litter but it does make sense. I suppose that is why you put food grade DE in with the regular coop litter.

We've had barn cats (2), who are both gone now and never worried about litter boxes.

It does work good for soaking up spilled home heating oil though.. No, please don't ask..

The pull out tray and baking soda makes sense as well but the 'tub' I bought hasn't got a tray.

I suppose I'll go with the wood chips and DE.

I'll probably start with paper towels and see how that goes first.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[Judy]

Baking soda is fine, but much more expensive than pelleted lime, which our feed/farmers store sells for $6 or $7 for a 40 lb. bag. A few handfuls thrown around my coop works wonders for the odor.

Also, you can brood them in the garage instead of the house. They'll need a cardboard box or something to keep drafts off them. An inexpensive thermometer on the floor of the brooder will tell you whether you have the brooder warm enough. Two heat lamps is much better than one for this, though, in case a light bulb burns out. I'll never brood in the house again, more because of the dust (which I don't want to breathe) than the odor.

Good luck!

 

[aidenbaby]

I was low on bedding and desperate, so I used granulated paper litter with the wood shavings. It was ok for a temporary solution. I don't think the chicks ate it, maybe they did. If they did, it didn't hurt them. The paper little didn't have any of that odor absorbing stuff in it.

 

[ksalvagno]

I would think it would be ok to use Yesterday's News or Feline Pine for the chicks. They are safe for rabbits and rabbits are just as sensitive to things. They are both pelleted litters. But these would be more expensive than using regular wood stove pellets although they do a better job of odor control.

 

[saddina]

We used feline pine, and the chicks got along just fine on it.

 

[rschunk]

Ok, we are off and running...

Just got home from Tractor Supply. Bought 8 Rex sex links, a feeder, waterer, 20# of starter feed and a bale of wood shavings.

They are now residing in a cardboard box in the bathtub and all set up with a thermometer, water, and a lamp. Inside, against my better judgement, because it is only 61, damp and raining outside.

The instructions that came with them said no food for an hour after transporting. Do chickens get twisted stomachs like dogs and other animals?

Anyway, this was the last shipment for TSC and I wanted Opingers??
but got the Red sex links instead.

Have to read up on them.

Thanks for all the help and advice...I'm sure I'll be back on another thread sooner than later....

 

[cybercat]

Buy wood pellets or equine fresh which is pine pellets. Can be used as a cat litter also which is how I started using it.

I use wood pellets for all my animals that need bedding no ordor easy cleaning and real cheap. Urine has no smell and it breaks the pellets down but does not stay wet as the pellets absorb the urine. Never had a probelm with animals eating them either. Chicks can dig without problems and walk on them fine.