Will straw damage a silkie's feathers?

[emzee]

I'm separating my silkies for a show and I was wondering if straw is a good choice for bedding. Will it damage their foot feathers?

 

[iluvmychicks]

Straw won't damage foot feathers however it won't keep them very clean, a better choice for bedding silkies is pine shavings if you have access to any. Straw just isn't very absorbant, the manure has a tendancy to just sit on the straw, then it ends up all over the feet and everything else

Shari

 

[emzee]

What if I changed out the straw every day and put in fresh straw? Would that take care of the manure problem?

 

[iluvmychicks]

I'm sure it would help You can sure give it a try

Shari

 

[emzee]

Thanks for your opinion! Does anyone else have anything to say about this?

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Why straw instead of shavings or other bedding material?

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Can't contribute for Silkies alone, but in the past when I've seperated my birds, straw never kept them very clean. Even if you changed it every day, droppings can still build up and it only takes one wrong step or sit-down for the feathers to get all gross.

I've always prefered shavings and found them very helpful, usually leaving the bird just as clean as how they began. Tractor Supply usually has a huge bag for about $5 at my local place.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Another good option is rice hull bedding. Straw is not very absorbant; both wood shavings and rice hulls are. Toss in some sweet pdz and it is very absorbant.

 

[emzee]

What do ya'll think about using straw until a few days before the show, and then switching to shavings to cut down on cost?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Honestly I'd skip the straw altogether.

Shavings are MUCH more absorbant.