Quail chicks hatching by the handful

[Flipp]

Well my 133 bobs are hatching away. More and more as i get back to look into the incubator. I have about 50 or so iside my plastic playmate 50Gal box. For floor cover im using bedding straw. Ive read that pine shavings are bad. Ive used them before years back but im just starting to hatch birds again. I know i dont want cedar but whats wrong with plan pine shavings? Pros and cons anyone? What do you use for the bottom of your brooder?

 

[magikchick]

I get the wood shavings from TSC.

 

[DiVon80]

I am using good ole American pine shavings. The first 2 days I used paper towels over news paper.Made sure they were eating well and knew what there food was. Considering the issues with China make sure its American..I go to the stables and get a 75# bale for 5 dollars.

 

[gabrielle1976]

I use straw because its simple and clean smelling and also cuase its easer and faster to grow soem straw then it is pine trees.

I only have chicken chicks right now.

 

[monarc23]

Pine has been known to cause respiratory issues just like cedar does, it is well noted by the scent it gives off.

Aspen (another pine) is a lot better but normally costs more you can by it at Tractor supply as well as the normal pine I reccomend aspen over the pine.

Straw I've never considered using for the mere fact that if it gets wet it molds and I dont want to risk getting my chicks sick and or having to clean the brooder twice a day in an effort to keep it from getting to moist. Not saying no one else should use it this is just why i wont use it.


I now use kaytee soft sorbent lavander. It's sort of like carefresh but the balled up bits are smaller, it's got real lavander seeds and flowers in it and boy does it smell good! The chicks even eat the seeds which in the months i've been using it now has not caused any problems. Herbals! LOL!

I clean the brooders out every other day for young chicks and everyday for the big already feathered chicks that I dont feel safe putting outside yet (and they stink if i dont hhahaaha)!

the best part is it's naturally scented by the lavander which has herbal benifits.

 

[gabrielle1976]

I never knew that about straw I end up changeing htere bedding once a day or so but , that lavender stuff sounds intriegueing as well where do you get itwhat kind of stor. Can you use recyled paper pellets

 

[DLS]

133!! dang you have a tub FULL!!

 

[gabrielle1976]

We need pics