What do you use for bedding in the brooder?

[littlelemon]

I almost fell over when I saw the price of wood shavings at the feed store, and I started to think that there must be alternatives that I can use! Could I use grass clippings? I think I also read somewhere that I could use rags for bedding. I pick up my chicks tomorrow and I want to be prepared, but I don't want to plunk down $10 for bedding that will be used up in a week

Any suggestions?

 

[twincreekfarm]

Walmart sells a big thing of wood shavings for around $6 in my area, i used it. I also have a hamster, so they shared the bedding, although chickens are way messier!

Check around to tree service places in your area, some will give away wood shavings.

BTW where in Ohio are you located?

 

[4myHennyPenny]

If there are other feed stores nearby, call and check them, too. Our feed stores carry the bags that you might use for other small pets (equivalent to the size of a large bag of dog food, I guess). These were pricey!! I thought buying those would surely break the bank for us. Yet when I walked into another aisle, the same store carried the HUGE bags of pine shavings for a little over $6 (things weigh over 30 pounds). The smaller bags were $8! So check around. Now that I know what I'm looking for, I'm able to find these huge bags at several nearby feed stores for roughly the same price. Certainly makes it affordable for us to use the shavings.

 

[jackiedon]

THey have huge packages of pine shavings for $4 at our Farmer's Co-op and it last us a long time.

jackie

 

[NJfarmer]

I just bought a big bag of wood shavings from Agway only $5 just keep looking around for a better price

 

[jimnjay]

A bag of wood shavings like mentioned will last for months in a brooder. It is highly compressed. Grass Clippings are not goo at all. If you buy your feed at a feed store, ask them if they have shavings. If not Straw will work but is not as good.

I use old towles for the first week but they have to be washed often. There are things like Corn Cob bedding to.
You could buy a bag of playground sand at Lowes too.
If you use anything at all cover it with paper towels for the first week and sprinkle a little feed on the paper towel so they know what their food is. Do not use newspaper. It is to slippery and can cause leg problems.

 

[littlelemon]

Thanks guys-I'll keep looking for a better price. I will cut up some rags for today.

Twincreekfarm, I am a little bit NW of Delaware in a little town called Radnor. However, I grew up in Springfield, so I know the Dayton area little bit