what makes the best litter and bedding?

[Gtown Farmer]

I'm using pine shavings, but while reading some other posts here, I saw that someone said it gives chicks pasty butt. Whats the deal? I think it's easier to raise kids (children) than chicks!

 

[okiron]

No chickens yet but I've seen that most people will just use paper towels for the first week or so.

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Shavings don't have anything to do with pasty butt.

For the first several days put paper towels over their pine shavings so that they do not slip (if they are a day or less old) and can get their footing.

 

[kysilkies]

we are going to try using puppy pads for the first few days...

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I too used puppy pads for the first week then switched to wood pellets. LOVE LOVE the pellets.

For my standard chicks, I started out with peat moss and then at about 3 wks old when they really started scratching I switched to pine shavings and they are dusty as well.

 

[cmom]

I have used pine shavings for all of my chicks and have never had any problems.

 

[vnploveschickens]

I used pine shavings in the brooder, sprinkled with DE. Still use it in the coop and nesting boxes.

 

[Gtown Farmer]

Okay thanks for confirming that pine shavings will not cause an issue. 6 are 3 weeks old and the other 2 are 1.5. I used old towels at the bottom of the brroder for the first few days. Worked well.