Help newbie! ?Which one do i use in the brooder?

[Shkittles]

Okay i'm expecting my chicks in about 2 days and need to know which bedding i should use. I've read different things and am so confused because i read that the chicks might eat the wood shavings instead of their feed. Is that true. The first few days i will cover the bedding with newspaper but which bedding 1 or 2?
I'm worried about 2 being too small and the chicks eating it instead of their feed.

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[Ridgerunner]

Don't use newspaper for them to stand on. It is slick and they can hurt their legs.

From everything I've read on here, if you cover the shavings the first two days, they don't seem to have a problem. Most people cover the shavings with paper towels for the first few days. Some use thepaper towels for even longer.

I said don't use newspaper, but that is not 100% true. If you cover the newspaper with something to give them traction, they'll be fine. You can use window screen, which can easily be rinsed off when you change the bedding. 1/4" hardware cloth would also work. Just make sure they are not walking directly on the newspaper or anything really slick.

 

[Shkittles]

Quote:
thanks

i don't want to do anything wrong but what bedding do you think i should use?

 

[Bullwinkle]

!Shkittles! :

Okay i'm expecting my chicks in about 2 days and need to know which bedding i should use. I've read different things and am so confused because i read that the chicks might eat the wood shavings instead of their feed. Is that true. The first few days i will cover the bedding with newspaper but which bedding 1 or 2?
I'm worried about 2 being too small and the chicks eating it instead of their feed.

I am only able to view one picture (the one from Tractor Supply).

The picture you have from tractor supply looks like a bag of cedar wood chips. Don't use cedar chips as there is a natural chemical that can cause respiratory problems in chickens. Look for the lighter wood chips from Pine.

It is recommended to not use newspapers with new chicks as they can slip and hurt themselves (developing spraddle leg). Use Paper Towels (I used a generic white paper towel). After a few days (3 or 4) you can remove the paper towels because by that point the chicks should know where their food is and they are less apt to fill up on chips.

I kept a nice layer of wood chips under my paper towels to catch any moisture that might filter through.​

 

[Chickie Mamma]

I use paper towels for the first week or so, then I use Pine shavings on top of the paper towels for better absorbency..

 

[Shkittles]

Quote:
I am only able to view one picture (the one from Tractor Supply).

The picture you have from tractor supply looks like a bag of cedar wood chips. Don't use cedar chips as there is a natural chemical that can cause respiratory problems in chickens. Look for the lighter wood chips from Pine.

It is recommended to not use newspapers with new chicks as they can slip and hurt themselves (developing spraddle leg). Use Paper Towels (I used a generic white paper towel). After a few days (3 or 4) you can remove the paper towels because by that point the chicks should know where their food is and they are less apt to fill up on chips.

I kept a nice layer of wood chips under my paper towels to catch any moisture that might filter through.

sorry you can only see the one pic (i don't know how to make it to where you can see it) but the shavings are actually lighter than they appear.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Quote:
Hmmm... it took me 5 sentences to say what you did in one sentence.... I need to work on giving shorter answers...

 

[Ridgerunner]

Bullwinkle and Chickie Mama are right. Get the pine shavings and you'll be fine. Don't get the cedar. I missed that.

 

[Bullwinkle]

!Shkittles! :

sorry you can only see the one pic (i don't know how to make it to where you can see it) but the shavings are actually lighter than they appear.

I had bought a couple bags of Pine shavings/chips from Tractor Supply and they distinctly say Pine on them. Your picture doesn't so I'm pretty sure the pic is of cedar chips and not the Pine Shavings/chips sold by Tractor Supply. (*** I just looked online and the thumbnail/picture they have for their pine is different than the pine I got from them, though it still says Pine). You'll have to read the bag).​

 

[Shkittles]

okay so i now know to use paper towels and pine shavings.

but the pic from tsc looks like cedar but they actually are pine so should i use the tsc bag which the shavings are really small or the pine shavings which are bigger?