Warning about shavings in the brooder

[txchickie]

I collect old sheets bought from garage sales, goodwill, etc...just for this reason. I have a big trash bag full of them in the barn that I use to line the bottom of my brooder for the first few days, and I just toss when I'm done! I don't want to bother washing them and getting chick poo in my machine.

I'll bet at one point I had 50 sheets, now I'm down to not so many, but I can always find them for cheap. I don't think I've ever paid more than 50 cents for a sheet.

 

[Desert Plum]

I used shavings and had no problems. Plus it can go right into the compost. Yay!

 

[toletiquesbysam]

I read one posting that the person used the chicken feed........anyone else tried that?? My chicks are coming the end of the month and I'm debating it.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

wouldn't that be a waste of feed, I've used sand works good

 

[nhnanna]

Quote:
I wouldn't use newspaper. It is slippery to the little ones and could cause splayed feet. I use paper towels for about a week over the shavings.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Quote:
Thanks , you just answered my next question ....!

My chicks are a week old...gonna go out and see how they like yogurt this morning...!

Another bedding question; with newspapers so plentiful, I have people who can save a TON for me, if you shredded them, would they be good for bigger chicks, or would they be munchies for them?

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

play sand is a good alternative for extremely young chicks....

 

[moonflowers]

I am using the pellets. I covered them with paper towels for a couple of days just to be sure, but I decided I would use them until I put the chicks outside and they seem to be doing well with them.

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

Quote:
I wouldn't use newspaper. It is slippery to the little ones and could cause splayed feet. I use paper towels for about a week over the shavings.

Yes on new born chicks. But in this case we are talking about chicks that are a weeks old.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Quote:
I began my chicks on clean, plain white paper towels too. I'd change the towels once a day when I cleaned the brooder and gave them fresh feed and water.


About day 4, they began to eat the edges of the paper towels. By day 6, they had figured out how to tear the towels apart to play with the shards and to eat the pieces.


Two days ago (day 9) I switched them over to pine shavings because the paper towels didn't last a half hour before they had completely shredded them up.


Now, with pine shavings, I have to change the waterer more frequently because even though I have the water up on a wooden block, they still get plenty of shavings in it.


I don't think they are doing much eating of pine shavings, though. Maybe they don't taste as good as the paper towels, LOL...