Newspaper ok instead of shavings?

[DazeGoneBy]

I understood from our chicken lady where we got our babies that newspaper was bad because the chicks step in their own poo and can't keep their feet clean. So, perhaps if you shread the newspaper, you'd get a similar effect that the pine shavings provide.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

whats wrong with cedar? curious enough
I use straw right now, am going to use pine chips for winter, the locals say its warmer

 

[Cygnis]

Achickenwrangler#1 :

whats wrong with cedar? curious enough
I use straw right now, am going to use pine chips for winter, the locals say its warmer

The oils that produce the cedar scent can irritate and permanently damage the delicate respiratory system of your chicks. : (​

 

[LadyBantam]

I used towels till I got shavings and they are now going in the compost pile, but the other thing about news print is that the color ink can be very bad for the babies. So at least make sure they is only black print till you make a change.

 

[trooper]

Another good thing about shavings is that they coushion their legs and feet when then start jumping around in the coop and down off of their roosts and nests.

I also use it in the nests boxes and it does a wonderful job on protecting the eggs as well as comfort to them laying down

 

[gale65]

We used pine pellets that are marketed for horse bedding. Just make sure they're 100% pine pellets with no scent and no additives (IOW none that are for pellet stoves and not hardwood pellets). There is also a version made for cats that I believe is 100% pine and no scent or additives called Feline Pine. Our chicks did great on them (we did not wet them down like the bag says to do).

 

[GlitterBug]

I found that those non-slip rubber mats that sell for $1 at the Dollar Store work great for my chicks. You can buy a bunch of them and reuse them. I just throw the used ones in a bucket with some soap and let them soak to loosen the debris. Then I rinse them and wash them out well with the hose and dry them in the sun.

 

[SmokinChick]

Quote:
All news print is vegatable based. Not sure why that would be bad for chicks? However, newspaper is slippery and can cause leg problems in young birds. Shrededmight help that issue.
I use pine shaving but am looking to use wire or sand in the future.

 

[Lil'ChickFarm]

I am putting sand in mine and getting a strainer to clean out the poopie daily. I just learned this on here some where. I plan to put it in my coop too. No waste or big clean day. Just keep it cleaned out daily and add more as needed. Play sand it pretty cheap.

 

[Bantam Username]

I used to use sand for my hens in their coop, be aware though that straining it only removes the bits of soiling you can see, it still gathers dirt and dust and you will need to refresh it completely about once every 2 to 4 weeks depending on the amount of birds, otherwise it will smell and be none too healthy for them.