Your favorite bedding for baby chicks?

[azygous]

I'm getting four hatchlings in a few days. I'm leaning towards using pine shavings for bedding this time. Last time I used peat moss, and while it was absorbent and kept the nursery odor-free, it was terribly dusty, though it didn't seem to bother the chicks. Those are a year old now and doing well.

So, what is your favorite bedding for newbies?

 

[SOchick]

horse pellet bedding

 

[fargosmom]

I used pine shavings and that worked really well - a huge cube of it was really cheap from the feed store and it lasted the whole time they were "growing up". Good luck with your new babies!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I use a wire brooder. No bedding to mess with. All their poo, spilled feed drops down into a metal pan that I dump and disinfect daily.

In the adult coops they all get pine shavings. I do move the chicks over to a larger coop once they get fully feathered and are large enough. Then the bedding inside the coop is also pine shavings. Ive been using the TSC brand.

 

[gryeyes]

Let me chime in on the pine shavings choice. I even use it in my COOPS. It's great stuff! And it's not expensive at all.

 

[yakmama]

I was nervous about using pine shavings b/c of the horror stories I heard about the babies eating it and getting sick. I use paper towels for my babies.

 

[desertgirl]

Me too. I have aspen shavings in between paper towels to aid with absorbancy. When they get older I will remove the paper towels, but for now I am playing it safe.

 

[Raven1]

I put Pine shavings down then a puppy potty pad over that for the first few days till I know they know the food and the extra absorbancey of the pad pulls any damp from the water dish or even poo. Thats my 2c anyway
Becky

 

[Akane]

Paper towels over shavings. After the paper towels get too dirty and the chicks are eating poultry feed fine then roll up the paper towels and you have a brooder of shavings without the risk of overeating them at first like some have experienced.

 

[goldnchocolate]

This year I am using wood pellets (just as cheap as shavings) and I'm finding that they have really kept the odor down. Previously, I have used pine shavings and would have an odor problem within a few days. I still have a problem with dust, though, but now I believe the dust must be coming from their mash rather than the shavings like I thought before.