what to use for bedding?

[Harley Demag]

Hello, I am expecting 25 comets in the mail today or tomorrow, we have pine wood chips for their brooder this will be our first attempt at raising chickens. What do you recomend to use for bedding in their nest boxes? Should we use hay or pine chips?

Thanks,

Elizabeth & Harley

 

[mnferalkitty]

I do not reccomend pine bedding untill they get older as chicks can eat it and get sick, I use only paper towel the kind that is not slippery, I layer this in the brooder. it also helps me to see how thier poop looks if its runny, bloody etc. I use pine bedding afler about a week

 

[Fred's Hens]

I always vote yellow straw when this question comes up, and it does very often.

You'll get 100's of folks who brood out 1000's of chicks, with no issues on wood shavings. I have had no issues. Still, I prefer the straw. Clean, wonderful, yellow straw, not hay.

 

[chickenbythesea]

we use pine shavings and haven't had any problems but I know that if they babies eat the shavings the poop will build up on their butts and can make them sick. I just keep an eye on their butts.

 

[BeulahBreezes]

I use pine shavings, no problems so far! Easy to clean up the poop...

 

[Harley Demag]

what about when its time to put them in their coop what should i use for bedding in their nest boxes? Is there one thing that is better than another?

 

[mnferalkitty]

I use straw when they go to the coop. as bedding and in the nest boxes. I use straw because I have a whole lofr full of it, it was in the barn when we moved here so it is free for me and I don't have to buy anything