Does anyone know what the best bedding for 1 day old chicks is?

[afarrington2]

I am so confused because i heard newpaper can stick to their feet / become slippery and cause leg problems. I also heard chick's can consume pine woodshavings and get clogged up and die/ cedar is toxic. Would towels would be best? But it could get dirty very quickly!

 

[Stephanie739]

pine shavings

 

[Sebrightsrock]

I use paper towels they won't slip on them and you can change them out easily.

 

[kteel]

We got our day olds last week and are using pine shavings. Have not had any problems.

 

[DelcoChix]

We've used pine shavings without any trouble for three years-both for egg layers and meaties. Have never lost any (at least not until when they were all grown up...tumor, egg-bound, fox, raccoons...and so on!) as youngsters...knock on wood!

 

[afarrington2]

Thanks guys!

 

[Stephanie739]

I just read about a shard of pine shaving in a chick's neck as a warning not to use pine. I suppose it could happen, but as I read the rest of the story, it sounded absolutely ridiculous; feeding the baby chick with her own mouth, mixing in infant formula and infant rice cereal in with the chick food, eventually moving on to mashed hot dogs at 5 days of age...some chick rescue place for unwanted or abused chickens.
lol I just read a bit more..she makes a napkin and napkin ring nest for the baby chicken with a tent instead of using pine http://chickenheavenonearth.weebly.com/pine-bedding-can-be-dangerous-to-baby-chicks.html

I have heard (and believed) that cedar is toxic.

There is a lot of nonsense on the web. I think there is an agenda to dissuade people from having backyard chickens... http://www.chow.com/food-news/104627/the-dark-side-of-backyard-chickens/

 

[Stephanie739]

We've used pine shavings without any trouble for three years-both for egg layers and meaties. Have never lost any (at least not until when they were all grown up...tumor, egg-bound, fox, raccoons...and so on!) as youngsters...knock on wood!

I've never lost a baby due to pine...in fact all of my baby chicks have thrived.

 

[ZaksGarden]

I have always used paper towels. It is so easy to keep clean!

 

[TXchickmum]

I used soft, white towels. They loved them! (Albeit, I did change them twice per day - washed in hot water) After the chicks were ready to move outdoors, I threw the towels that had been used into the washer on hot with bleach. -can't tell they were ever used for chickens. Also, I didn't have to mess with shavings.