How to use cedar chips in the brooder?

[chickenlittle32]

Another thing to remember is to put the water on something so that they don't get the pine chips in it.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Hi,

I've used cedar chips with ducklings and experienced no problems. Here's quite a debate if you'd like to take the time to read it:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=238240&p=3

God Bless,

 

[Cackling Hen]

Please dont use cedar. I made the mistake once and all my chicks got really sick from the cedar shavings I lost 10 babies cedar is toxic to chickens!!!!!!!! I always use pine shavings with no problems
good luck

 

[McCord6]

Quote:
I got a big block of pine shavings at Walmart for about $7
Look in the pets section, it should be where the hamsters, rabbits, mice kind of pets are at.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Last batch of ducklings I used the pine shavings. I put that rubbery shelf liner or over it because sometimes they eat the shavings (although sometimes they nibble the shelf liner too). When I cleaned the brooder I would hang the shelf liner on the clothes line and spray it with the hose (it was summer) so I had three sets of the shelf liner to go over the shavings. I changed the pine shavings twice a day, adjusting the depth of the shavings as needed to last to the next changing. It wasn't smelly at all but there were only four ducklings. Of course once they were past the heat lamp stage I put them in an outdoor pen during the day.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

for $6 i can get a packed, paper wrapped BALE of pine chips at the local feed/hardware/lumber store... people use them for horse stalls, so it's a LOT, and it's cheap!

 

[taras.farm]

Pine shavings....try to find a big bag and clean the poop (which will layer on top) out every day....use one of those reusable plastic food storage conatainers from walmart for your water....they are messy little huys.Keep the lid on ...just cut a circle about 1 1/2" diameter....water satys cleaner and no spills! My best advice for duckies!!! Have fun

Yes layer paper towels on top for the first few days so they don't eat shavings.....The smell gets bad around 2 weeks when its' hard to keep up and they will need more space...so try setting something up in the garage or shed...remember now they'll need some heat since the weather is getting cold.

 

[ohsnapitscharity]

aspen!

 

[nettie]

i use horse stall pellets (wood burning stove pellets with no accelerate works just the same)... You have to wet them down with a spray bottle (and i use a green non toxic odor killer too, it abosrbs into the wood and does it's job when them poop). My ducks live inside, so we are always trying to combat the smells. The pellets break down in a saw dust once they get wet and absorb liquid kinda like cat litter. You can spot clean and scoop out the clumps a few times a day. And again it's cheap, maybe 5 dollars or so per 40lb bag. It's not as much as pine shavings in a bag, but once they get older, it lasts longer. i change the pellets near their food/water the most often, maybe 1-2 times a week... but in their main living area and nest box, i change that every 4-6 weeks. I don't like shavings because my duck ming mei had to have surgery on her foot when pine shavings gave her a scratch and it got infected from walking on the poop sitting on top of the shavings. the saw dust pellets break down into is soft and does not hurt their feet at all. they'll root around in it, but they don't eat it.

 

[Wifezilla]

Check on the double decker brooder thread in my signature.