Pine Shavings for Days Old Chicks

[Chicks223]

My newest chicks have shipped! Very excited. I have set up their home for the next few weeks and all I could get for the bedding was Pine Shavings - FINE. It looks a lot like sawdust. I was worried that this was too fine for the chicks.. either afraid they would eat it because it was so small or if maybe the dust would affect their breathing... I don't know if I'm overthinking this but I don't want to harm the chicks

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's generally best to get the flake. I personally put paper towels down over the bedding the first week to keep them from eating the bedding. You may want to try to find flake.

 

[starri33]

I generally use flake, but I've discovered puppy pads, they are wonderful.. absorbent if they knock over the water bowl, easy to replace.. they've worked great.

 

[Criticalicious]

I used puppy pads covered with large flake pine shavings the first time around. This second time, I put shelf liner over puppy pads, with pine shavings on top of that. It seems to work even better, because the liner holds down the pads and prevents the chicks from tearing up the puppy pads as quickly.

If you have a TSC near you, they sell the large flake for about $6 a bag.

 

[aart]

I use PDZ under paper towels for the first week then they go out to coop with large flake shavings