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[Niki the chicky]

Hi I was wondering what is the best bedding to use for chicks. I bought pine shavings is that good? I read a book and it said to use rags and old socks or cedar shavings. I heard that cedar shavings could be lethal from a farmer ,so definitly not using that!!! Any suggestions???

 

[SophiaRose]

Hi there:
I would not use shavings because they can be pretty dusty. The fumes from cedar shavings are pretty bad, so you're right in not doing that I use paper towels and they work very well because they are super absorbant and you can change them often (unlike shavings which are a pain to clean), so the chicks can have a clean living space often. I think if you're getting them very young you should start off with paper towels so they don't confuse the shavings with food and when they grow older use shavings then. Of course, when you put them outside you can use the shavings in their nesting boxes for bedding. Overall, I would not use the shavings because with chicks, I like to play it safe.

Hope this helps

 

[bj taylor]

i'm on my second batch of chicks. I lost none the first go round & I've lost one this time (it lasted only a couple of hours when I got it). I've used large flake bedding I buy at tractor supply. it works well for me. there is no slipping that creates leg problems. I use it like the deep litter method. I just add more bedding on top of the old. I will dump it into the compost when i'm finished with it. it also serves well to hold heat for them. the main challenge I find is they scratch the bedding into the feeder & water. the water is elevated some so it does fair, but several times a day i'm brushing bedding out of the feeder.
my flock is free range, so I put a scoop of gravel from the yard in the brooder (they're a couple of weeks old). I figure this gives them exposure to some local flora & they love the novelty of it.

 

[Niki the chicky]

Thanks I'll think I will about using paper towels.I don't think I will use them because I am worried it might cause spraddle legs!! "Don't want that"

 

[SophiaRose]

I had that same worry, but paper towels don't cause splayed legs in the slightest. It mostly occurs with newspaper because when newspaper becomes wet it gets slippery causing the chick's legs to splay; however, when paper towels become wet the moisture is absorbed, so they can still grip the ground.

 

[mommyoftwo]

That's good to know.

 

[Rnbwbrite1207]

I have always used pine shavings with a paper towel over for the first few days for my brooder in the house, but in July I will be getting some chicks and they will brood (?) outside in the new coop which has a separate portion for a brooder with a sand bottom. After reading a blog about sand I decided it was worth a try

http://www.grit.com/the-chicken-chi...-sand-the-litter-superstar.aspx#axzz2VRilanq9

 

[Mybabyblue]

Very handy chart!!