straw-eating chicks

[Peepsicle]

We have 4 chicks. Sunny, my mom's Buff, Peep, my brother's, Rhode Island, Lady Lacey and Speckles,

, my Barred Rock pullet and cockerel. We just recently put them in their coop to live their from now on, and put straw down. They started gagging because they were eating it and having a hard time swallowing it

. We took it out of there coop but kept it in the nesting boxes for bedding. I think it helped but I still see them gag now and then I really hope there okay

. Is there any thing else I should do?

 

[Ts Farm Eggs]

instead of straw try pine shavings their less likely to eat it or saw dust just make sure you dont give them cedar it is toxic to chickens

 

[RockerHen]

instead of straw try pine shavings their less likely to eat it or saw dust just make sure you dont give them cedar it is toxic to chickens

My silkies are the opposite, they won't touch straw but will try to eat pine shavings

 

[Peepsicle]

The first thing we tried were pine shavings. They gagged on those, to. ( we have some really stupid chicks) And I've heard that sawdust can cause respatory(I didn't spell that right) problems

. Thanks alot for helping, though!

 

[RockerHen]

My silkies usually will only attempt to eat it just after I change it out. When I change their bedding and put them back in, I usually give them a treat that takes a while to eat, like an apple, so they don't go directly to it and start eating it. It keeps their mind off of it and they are much less likely to eat it when they're finished. If they do eat a piece or two of shavings after that, oh well. Extra fiber

 

[Ts Farm Eggs]

well it worked for my chicks

 

[dl9976]

you could use sand or bark nuggets....I've heard both of those work well.. goodluck

 

[californiachicks]

Thank you...I just wound up taking out the straw...just left some in their bedding and the gagging stopped. We live in sunny southern California and don't get a lot of rain...so the inside of their coop is just dirt now.

 

[Peepsicle]

Thanks! The sand would work for grit, too, right?