ITS EVERYWHERE ... Bedding ideas for toddler and tween chicks

[gabrielle1976]

How on earth do you keep the food and water dishes from getting completly full of bedding. I am useing pine shaveings right now and all though it absorbes oder and stuff well its not 2 minutes after I clean and fill up that they start getting full of stuff again. I find my self cleaning there food dishes out 2 to 3 times a day and there water dishes probly every 2 to 3 hours.
Newspaper didnt cuase this probly but they got poop all over there feet and I dont like the smell. I used hay with my quail befor and it smelled nice and didnt get into the water and food as much but it got messy super fast as well. There has to be something out there I tried paper bedding as well for these guys like you buy for hamsters and stuff and it got in the water and stuff just as much and packed down and was stinky .
Id love for you all to share what kind of bedding you use for your imbetweeners . These arnt newborn chicks on paper towels and they arnt older chicks that can be out in a coup .
Pictures and stories as well as types of beddings and pros and cons would be very helpfull please and thank you

 

[chickenbythesea]

I set my feeder up on 2 bricks to keep it up higher then the bedding. I also don't put an excessive amount of bedding in because they kick it up everywhere. As for the water, it can only be so high as the ity bitys need to get at it, so I just end up changing it a lot .

 

[Janie1968]

I use something called Multipurpose Pellets made by Eagle Valley. Apparently it is also good for wood burning stoves. As my chicks get older I elevate their water so they can't get the pellets into the water. I think I used a shoe box last time.

 

[clucky3255]

Is that pellets on the ground?

Because Wouldn't it get all gross? (poop)

 

[lcammack]

We use bedding pellets, sometimes called horse stall pellets. They come in a 40lb bag and only cost $5. One bag will cover a 4' x 4' brooder easily. They absorb like mad and with just a stir a day they don't have hardly any smell. Because they are heavier then shavings they don't get them in the water and food as easily. I have 30 chicks in a brooder on these pellets and change there water once a day. If I wasn't so picky about fresh water it could easily go much longer. I can't say enough good about the pellets, we use them in our coop and only have to change them out about once a year. With the cost and time savings you could do it twice or three times a year and still be ahead. We do mix a little DE in the coop also and we do use a poop board that is cleaned daily which also helps. Also I agree that you have to raise the food and water up on something, we use bricks also.

Take it as a good sign that your chicks are making a mess. They must be happy and healthy!

Good luck with your chickies!

 

[Janie1968]

The pellets are the bedding I use when they are in the house in a large cardboard box we call the Chick Palace. Since my birds are free range during the day, I don't bother with bedding out in their coop... just rake it out once in a while from their night time droppings.

 

[donrae]

I've always raised my feeder and waterer up on bricks or 2x4s to keep them out of the bedding. Even day old chicks can jump up on a brick to get to the food and water. You just need to pile more bricks or boards on as the birds get older and can reach higher. If you keep the feeder pan level with their backs, you'll have LOTS less waste over your chicken career.