What bedding to use for newborn chicks?

[wbruder17]

Are shavings ok?

No straw, I know that much.

 

[ARose4Heaven]

wood shavings covered with paper towels for the first week, then take off the towels and just have them on the wood shavings.

Oh yeah..use pine shavings...Never cedar. The oil in cedar is bad for baby chicks.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I use pine shavings covered with newspaper paper (free end rolls from the local paper) for the first 24 hours for large fowl, and three days for bantams. Paper towels would work well, too, as ARose4Heaven said.

Then pine shavings.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I haven't used anything but kiln-dried pine shavings for years now. No paper towels or anything else. They go straight from the incubator or the hatchery box onto the shavings. Great stuff.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

A.T. Hagan :

I haven't used anything but kiln-dried pine shavings for years now. No paper towels or anything else. They go straight from the incubator or the hatchery box onto the shavings. Great stuff.

I have been wasting my time with newspaper paper????

Thanks!

 

[MrsChickendad]

I use disposable bed pads for the first week. They are plastic backed and make good footing in the aquarium I use for the first week. Just roll em up and toss. I like the aquarium too so the babies can see out and don't get startled by "the Hand" swooping down on them. You can get the disposable pads at WalMart for about $5 a pack of 18.

 

[scbatz33]

Incubator to shavings.....and I know I'll be publicly flogged for this, but I use both pine and cedar........which ever I have at the time.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
I have been wasting my time with newspaper paper????

Thanks!

Newsprint is slick and can cause them to literally "slip a disc"... we call it spraddled leg. It will damage their little tendons.
I normally put paper towels on shavings for a week, and then remove them. That's it.
I've also used shredded paper and small leaves shredded in the lawnmower. I've even tried them on coarse sand, once. All this stuff works, but shavings are way easy and convenient.

 

[geepy]

I use fake turf rug, the kind people usually put on a patio. I have two pieces cut to fit my brooder so I have clean one ready to go. I just hose them off.

 

[emys]

Peat moss also works well from day olds right on up if they are in a shed, or barn - pretty dusty for the house.