Ewwww. Gross, babies!

[TheOLDNewChick]

So my 6 silkie chicks manage to mess up their bedding. I use newspaper for their brooder, and everyday I go out there to change it and its soaked through and sour smelling, and slimy. I've put up to ten layers of newspaper at a time, and it still gets soaked through. It's not the waterer that's leaking as far as I can tell because there's no drastic change in the water level overnight. What in the world are they doing? I used newspaper in the brooder for my other chicks and never had this problem. I don't know what's going on but it's gross. Any ideas?

 

[CutestChickenFarmer]

You might want to consider changing to pine shavings. It's much easier to maintain. Plus, it's easier on the little legs, too.

Susan

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, even if the water isn't leaking, I use news paper with pine shavings on top. It will help with the mess. I also would raise the water, their fluffyness like to walk though water and drag it everywhre. Either that or you have a local rain cloud over them

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

Would Cedar chips work or are they toxic?

 

[CutestChickenFarmer]

No, don't use cedar chips. From what everyone has posted here, they are toxic if the chicks ingest them.

 

[Southern28Chick]

No cedar chips, they are toxic. You should have something other than just newspaper. The newspaper is slippery to chicky feet and can easily cause damage to there legs from slipping to much. Get some pine shavings.

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

Of course Cedar chips are toxic, they're the only kind that comes in the huge bags.

Thanks y'all.

 

[Southern28Chick]

Quote:
Walmart and Petsmart have the huge bags. Try those places.

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

Walmart & Petsmart around here are always out of the huge bags of pine shavings, they only ever seem to have the cedar chips.

 

[Chickenlover88]

I always get 50 lb bags of pine shavings from my local feed store. Usually for very cheap compared to petstore bags.