Pelleted bedding vs shavings?

[Raubkatze]

I am currently using pine pellets for bedding in my brooder. I went this route as I already purchase it in bulk for other animals I have at my house. However, I am finding that I am a) having to just about strip the entire brooder every day and b) the chicks are starting to pick it up in their mouths. Are shavings easier to clean out without feeling like the poop gets so mixed in that you need to strip the whole thing out every day? Or is this just totally normal for six little poop machines?

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I use shavings just because it's a little easier to clean out, but I haven't had any experience with pine pellets.

 

[aart]

I am currently using pine pellets for bedding in my brooder. I went this route as I already purchase it in bulk for other animals I have at my house. However, I am finding that I am a) having to just about strip the entire brooder every day and b) the chicks are starting to pick it up in their mouths. Are shavings easier to clean out without feeling like the poop gets so mixed in that you need to strip the whole thing out every day? Or is this just totally normal for six little poop machines?

I used PDZ covered with paper towels for the first few days.
Feed and water are on a tote lid.
Both got changed out every other day.

After a week or so they go out to the coop brooder which is large flake pine shavings.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

I use shavings just because it's a little easier to clean out, but I haven't had any experience with pine pellets.

Then how do you know it's easier

 

[aimee750]

I have tried pellets, fine and flake shavings. I much prefer the flakes for the brooders and coop. For me they lasted longer and were easier to clean out.

 

[Ahoragi]

I was going to start a thread on this but figured I'd chime in here instead. We started out with flake style pine shavings from TSC. Added a bale every 3 weeks or so. From what I read, it's supposed to break down on the lower layer and become compost but that never really happened. The urine just saturates at the bottom and begins to smell over time. The hot summer did not help either. It was one of the worst smells when I went to shovel it all out. The chickens, however, loved to dig down into the shavings to rest and stay cool against the concrete.

I decided to try horse pellets and this is by far the better bedding for the coop. The poop settles on top and urine is soaked in by the pellets and I just scoop the upper layer with a horse pellet fork and it's all clean. It's been about a month and zero smell. The chickens do not seem to like to rest in the pellets though.

For the coming winter, I may put a divider on the floor before the roosting bars and use pellets on the roost side, and shavings on the other side where they never poop. I would think the shavings would provide more warmth than the pellets.