Your favorite bedding for baby chicks?

[azygous]

Thanks so much for the really great tips!

I was concerned about them eating the pine shavings at first and maybe getting sick. My adult Brahmas sometimes enjoy eating the pine shavings I have in their coop, but it's obviously never hurt them. But I can see how chicks might mistake them for food in the beginning, something I hadn't thought of.

My first time with chicks, they were already several weeks old when I got them, and I used wood chips with them. Last year was the first time I got day old hatchlings, and I used the peat moss. I already mentioned it worked well, but was far too dusty.

I do like the idea of paper towels laid down over the pine shavings for their first few days. It makes a lot of sense all the way around.

I'm really excited to be raising baby chicks again - what fun!

 

[fastpat]

Quote:
I've used Aspen shavings since my chicks were three days old, they've done very well with that, no mortalities or illnesses of any kind, they're six and a half weeks now.

 

[forrestacres]

Quote:
Are the wood pellets that you refer to the type burned in pellet stoves? I am using pine shavings and papertowel.

 

[fastpat]

Quote:
Are the wood pellets that you refer to the type burned in pellet stoves? I am using pine shavings and papertowel.

Yep, the dust is a combination of chick droppings, chicken dander, old chicken down, and their feed which they happily knock out of the feeder.

 

[chocolate m'scovy]

We use wood shavings. They come in a compact bag(3.25 cubic feet compressed). Sorry, but the label is rather nondescript... And for the first three days or so, we cover the bottom with nonglossy newspaper. I've read that newspaper can cause slipping, but we've done this for years, with heritage chickens, and have had no problems.

 

[Katt577]

I am new at this. But I have 14 five week olds and I am loving the pine shavings especially since they are in my house. Easy to change and smells pretty good. Also makes good quick compost.