they are EATING the pine shavings!

[sheeshshe]

I just switched over from leaves to pine shavings and they are eating the pine shavings like its candy. some of them are already showing signs of impacted crop from before the pine shavings... what is going to happen now??

they also are scared to death of the stuff??? they are huddled in a corner and won't come out of it!

they are 2 weeks oldish

 

[Peeper7]

If they are really huddled in a corner, it's more likely they are cold than scared. Be sure they have lots of feed and if you really think they are eating the shavings, put paper towels over it until they figure it out.

 

[sheeshshe]

they can't be cold.... I change their bedding every day and do it the same way and they never do this! the only thing different is the pine shavings instead of leaves... they just wont venture to the other side.

in fact I had 4 of them on top of one folgers coffee container because they were scared silly of the new bedding!


really though, what is the pine shavings going to do to their digestion?

ETA: and yeah, they were really eating it! scarfing it down! that was when they actually got brave enough to come down from the folgers container!!!!!!

 

[rancher hicks]

I kept my chicks on newspaper and paper towels for quite awhile then when I switched they still picked at the chips. I gave them lettuce to switch their interest and threw in some chick grit early on. They seemed fine. Even now they pick at the shavings. I am worried about my bleeding heart though.

 

[Mrs.Puff]

pine pitch is what often causes pasty butt. They get all clogged up from it.

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

it is because you didn't mix the leaves in for bedding
I never heard of any one using leaves before

it is that the pine shavings are white and I imagine the leaves were darker
where did you get the leaves?

try putting some wet mash down in several small feeders and get them to the wet mash if you have to put them there

5 tbsp of dry crumbles
5tbsp of milk any kind
1 tbsp of yougart
3 tbsp of apple sauce
2 tbsp of olive oil
make sure the apple sauce is on top so they can smell or see it

then put out several small feedings around the floor and so they can see it
keep me posted with any questions

as for eating them the wet mash probiotic will help them
also you may have to put some olive oil in the wet mash as I have instructed to keep the pine shavings from blocking their crop

you can email me PM

 

[sheeshshe]

my neighbor used leaves for her bedding so I did too. she figured that if they were raised outside with the mother hen they would be around leaves so why not bring the leaves inside? dead leaves, not the green ones off the trees.

I think they are getting used to their new bedding. they are going to the other side now.

I've been putting probiotics in their water...

is it necessary to make up that mashy thing? or is the probiotics in the water enough?

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

it depends on you
I always liked the wet mash probiotic as it was natural and they love it
especially when they are sick you can medicated the wet mash and they then will take in the medication
you can use your own thoughts here
email me with any questions

 

[Bluebyrd]

I just went through the same thing yesterday, all of my babies were eating the shavings !! Boy was I freaking out, i had visions of 12 dead chicks......I think they had definitaly confused the shavings with thier food.- even though they are 11 days old and had been with the shavings the whole time, one started and then they all started it.

The next thing I did was go back to the local store and get some hay....they are still occassionally eating a hay bit, if its small enough but most pieces aren't. I checked them all and watched for any crop swelling, and pasty bottoms, but so far ( 2 days since the incident) they are all doing well and eating the correct food now!

I hope everthing turns out allright with your guys, I feel like I dodged a bullet.

 

[geareduplyn]

Forget all the other chick sustrates. Go get some wood pellets. Prpblem solved.