bedding

[CSKA]

What do you use for bedding for young chicks? I usually use drawer liner in the first days. I am wondering if its okay to use straw and from what age?

 

[HoneyBeeHomestead]

Most people seem to use large wood shavings. (They will often eat the finer ones.) You can use straw. I've used both, but prefer the shavings. In my experience, they kick it around more which helps to keep them cleaner/drier for longer. I'd say try both and see which you prefer. And you can use straw at any age!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I brood directly on the deep litter run floor with a few handfuls of large shavings for extra cushion. No clean up needed.

Don't see why you couldn't use straw as long as you clean it out when it gets wet.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My brooder has a 1/2" hardware cloth floor so the poop falls straight through and it stays very dry. Where they sleep I have a piece of plywood I can tilt to rake the poop off and into my container under the raised brooder.

My broody hens keep them on the coop floor for the first 2 or 3 days. which has wood shavings as bedding. After that the broody takes them outside all day on dirt and grass, bringing them back in at night to sleep on the wood shavings.

I personally do not see anything wrong with straw as long as it stays dry. But I'd be OK with most things. I mainly think it needs to be something you can keep dry and is relatively inexpensive.

Good luck!

 

[CSKA]

My brooder has a 1/2" hardware cloth floor so the poop falls straight through and it stays very dry. Where they sleep I have a piece of plywood I can tilt to rake the poop off and into my container under the raised brooder.

My broody hens keep them on the coop floor for the first 2 or 3 days. which has wood shavings as bedding. After that the broody takes them outside all day on dirt and grass, bringing them back in at night to sleep on the wood shavings.

I personally do not see anything wrong with straw as long as it stays dry. But I'd be OK with most things. I mainly think it needs to be something you can keep dry and is relatively inexpensive.

Good luck!

Thanks, sounds good, I am keeing them in a large pet cage, plastic tray bottom and wire on the top and sides. To clean, I detach the plastic bottom and throw away the stuff, then re-assembly. If straw is ok, then its for free, because I can pick my own in minutes and let it dry (already have it from last summer)