Just started raising chicks 3 days ago and so far so good :)

[chickadee43773]

Thanks everyone! I am still learning the ropes of this website and raising my chicks! So far so good though. They are all still happy and running around all over their brooder!

 

[chickadee43773]

So I've been trying to find more bedding for the chicks brooder. For some reason I don't want to use pine shavings until they are older.

I looked at TSC on Thursday after they had received their new truck shipment and they didn't have any in stock. So over the weekend I went to Rural King to buy some because that's where I originally purchased it. They didn't have any either! So then I drove another 13 miles out of my way to a TSC in WV. I called first to make sure they had it in stock. When I got there I didn't see it but the man on the phone said he had a full pallet of it in the middle of one of the aisles. I kept looking and saw horse corn cobb bedding. I asked one of the workers there if it was the same thing as the crushed corn cobb bedding that I had bought for my chicks and he assured me it was the same. However, when I got home and opened the 40lb bag it was full of pellets! I was a tad bit mad because I've been driving all over looking for it and everything. I'm going to use it but discontinue it when they get bigger because I am afraid they will eat it and not be able to digest it properly.

I would check landmark but it seems like they are only open when I am at work.... Sorry I just had to vent a little Besides that mishap I did have a pretty good weekend and I hope you all did too!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Annoying when the employees don't know what they have isn't it. A lot of people like sand in the brooder and the rubbery shelf liner is another popular thing. Never used them in the brooder, but we use the pine pellets with shavings on top in the coop with for the chickens and they work really well. For horses, some of those pellets are made to be wetted down so they expand when you use them, we don't when we use them for the chickens, but it might work better for what you want.

 

[TwoCrows]

You can always go with wire. Hardware cloth works really well for babies. Poop falls thru to the bottom of the brooder. Wire is very sanitary for the babies and helps to prevent cocci while still giving them enough exposure to become immune to it. I like to start with 1/4 inch for 1 week olds and then move up to 1/2 inch at 2 or 3 weeks of age. Clean off the wire regularly and it is very easy to deal with. Just an idea for an alternative for bedding.