If you have chickens, then you know your chickens need the best treatment if you want a realistic chance at getting any profit from them. That means you need to take care of them from when they are chicks to when they are adult chickens.
Taking care of baby chicks isn’t easy because there are so many things you’d need to have. One of the most important of them is getting them the best bedding. In case you are wondering where to get the best bedding for baby chicks, then you’ve come to the right place.
We have reviewed the best five to give you a realistic chance of getting the best bedding. Have a look.
The Best 5 Bedding for Baby Chicks
- Manna Pro Fresh Flakes Poultry Bedding
- Precision Pet by Petmate Excelsior Nesting Pads Chicken Bedding
- Small Pet Select Aspen Bedding
- MagJo Pet Excelsior Aspen Shaving Nesting Liners
- Standlee Hay Company Flock Fresh Premium Poultry Bedding
Popular Bedding for Baby Chicks Brands
How to Choose the Bedding for Baby Chicks
Chicken bedding is an important aspect of raising healthy chicks. That’s why you need to ensure you get it right. But how do you choose the best bedding for chickens, let alone baby chicks? We have outlined several factors you need to look at when choosing to bed for chicks.
What’s the material of the bedding?
The type of material of the bedding is an incredibly sensitive thing to consider. That’s because the wrong material could cause you problems. It is often the best idea to go for all-natural materials that won’t harm your chicks.
Natural bedding is better also because you can compost them after removal from the coop. Also, they are quite easy to clean than other easy materials. There is a wide variety of natural materials to consider here.
Some people prefer to go with cedar flakes while others prefer pine. No matter what material you decide to go for, always ensure it is natural.
How Absorbent is It?
While most chicken bedding labels will claim to be highly absorbent, that doesn’t mean they are that good. That’s why you need to pause and consider whether they will be absorbent. Absorbent bedding will absorb moisture and odors and make the coop smelling fresh. In that way, it could even prevent the buildup of pathogens in the chicken coop.
What’s the age of your chicks?
Some bedding might be good for a certain age of chicks, but some might not. That’s why you need to consider the age of your chicks before buying bedding. Some bedding might not be a good fit for day-old chicks, but okay for older chicks.
That’s why you need to be sure the bedding isn’t detrimental to the health of your chicks.
How much will the bedding cost you?
There isn’t anything people will buy before first, considering the price. Why should be it any different with you? When buying bedding for your chicks, you will see some that might seem overpriced but are not. That still doesn’t mean you don’t be on the lookout for overpriced bedding.
Always measure up the price and the quantity of the bedding. There are some that might appear little but are expandable and will thus be a better option than larger bedding. Bedding shouldn’t cost you an arm and a leg even if you have chicken.
How do You Know You’re Buying the Best Bedding for Baby Chicks?
The best bedding for baby chicks should be highly absorbent, natural, and easy to clean. Ideally, if you’re going for shavings or straw, you also need to ensure they are as soft as possible. We also must mention that the bedding should be in a size that won’t drown the chicks.
5 Best Bedding for Baby Chicks
The ideal bedding to use for baby chicks is the one that will keep them warm and poops away. Also, it should be budget-friendly. Let’s take a look at our top pick list:
1. Small Pet Select Aspen Bedding
This bedding comes in a 226L pack and is made of the finest aspen material that’s been sustainably sourced to ensure the protection of the environment. The aspen beddings are ideal for most chicks because they don’t react or form a source of diseases to the chicks.
This bedding is also among the best for the way it guarantees the health of your chicks. First, the manufacturers screened for any issues to a 99% degree. Second, it is dust-free to ensure it doesn’t become a source of common chicken diseases.
The incredible features so far are because these beddings are all-natural and biodegradable. If you know how fragile chicks can be, then you appreciate them not needing to have synthetic bedding.
All-natural bedding means it can rot and you can include it in your compost manure heap. You will also appreciate the fact that this chicken bedding expands in size by up to two and a half times. That means a small bag of it could be all you need to have proper bedding for your chicks.
These beddings also have a rather commendable absorption rate. They will absorb the smell and dirt to make the chicken house a safer and healthier space for your baby chicks. It, however, would be wise to change them out every few days to ensure they don’t become detrimental to the health of your chicks.
Otherwise, they are a fine specimen of chicken bedding and wouldn’t disappoint you.
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2. Precision Pet by Petmate Bedding for Baby Chicks
Although you can use these chicken bedding for baby chicks, it is also ideal for egg-laying chicken. These beddings comprise thin wood shavings adept at absorbing moisture and dirt from the surface of the chicken house.
Also, this bedding is soft and won’t harm your chicks as they walk on them. The sturdiness is another thing that ensures they won’t break your eggs if you have layers also. These offer a soft-landing spot for the eggs each time the chicken lays.
These chicken beddings are also flexible. What we mean chickens can change them to take any shape. Therefore, if you have layers of chicken with chicks, they would be the best option since they can take any shape.
Another thing you must look out for is whether they are natural. And yes, they are. There being natural means they are highly absorbent and will absorb the dirt and smell from the chicken droppings. It also means you can use them in your compost heap and create farmyard manure.
If you are looking for bedding for your chicks and adult chicken, this sustainably sourced chicken bedding will be worth trying.
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3. MagJo Pet Nesting Liners
These nest liners will offer your chicks a much healthier environment than most other beddings. That’s because they are all-natural and of high quality. That makes them excellent absorbers of dirt and moisture to ensure the chicks have a warm and clean sleeping place.
The MagJo nesting liners also come with craft paper that makes cleaning them easier and faster. All you need to do is remove the kraft paper backing and shake off the chicken poop. That’s another reason to love these shavings that might be a better option than pine or cedar.
Another thing we loved about these liners is that they offer the perfect cushion for eggs. That means you don’t have to worry about egg breakage once they land. You also won have to contend with dirty eggs since they will have absorbed the droppings fast.
When buying these nest liners, you might benefit from different packages according to the size of your brood. There’s a small, large, and medium-size that should cater to whatever brooding size.
While mostly made for adult chickens, this bedding will also be ideal for chicks. Chicks need a dry environment to thrive, and that’s what these nest liners offer. You won’t harm them in any way trying this bedding.
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4. Standalee Hay Company Poultry Bedding
The Standlee poultry bedding absorbs not only moisture but also harmful compounds that might be in the chicken bedding. It does that because it is highly absorbent and ensures a safer resting place for your chicks.
That might appear obvious from such a product, but few others can absorb odors and this bedding does. It can start ion exchanges that clean the air of foul odors from the chickens’ droppings.
Because this bedding is entirely natural, it means you can use it in your compost. And it will be good at that since it releases nutrients that will help boost the productivity of your farm. That makes it an environmentally sustainable product that will help you kill two birds with one stone.
Something else we loved with this bedding is that it will increase foraging. This is an important thing for your chicks to learn to survive better. The bedding comes in three types each with its importance.
Zeolite granules are hyper absorbent bedding that is entirely natural and won’t harm your chicks. Sun cured alfalfa is ideal for encouraging foraging behaviors with your chicks. Chopped straw is a cleaner’s dream since it makes it easy to clean.
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5. Manna Pro Fresh Flakes Chicken Bedding
Wrapping up our list of the best bedding for baby chicks is this all-natural pine bedding. The eco-friendly bedding is ultra-absorbent and will get rid of all the odors you’d typically find in a chicken house. That’s what makes it to be among the best chicken bedding.
The most assuring feature of this bedding however is the prevention of mold spore infestation. That means you won’t have to worry about other pests such as mites or woodlice. Besides those, it also works well to prevent salmonella and E. coli from infecting your chicks.
What makes them be free of the spores and the E. coli is the drying process they go through. They are heat dried to ensure no organisms pass through and come to infest your chicken coop in the future.
Something else that shows the level of detail that’s gone into making this bedding is the screening. The bedding has been screened multiple times to ensure they are as dust-free as possible.
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Best Beeding for Chicks – Buying Guide
When you bring your baby chicks home for the first time, you want to make sure they have everything they need to be comfortable. That includes finding the best bedding for baby chicks. Bedding is important because it helps keep your chicks warm and dry and provides a comfortable place for them to sleep. It can also help absorb their waste and keep their area clean.
Types of Bedding for Baby Chicks
There are a few different types of bedding that you can use for your baby chicks. The most common type is pine shavings, which are small pieces of wood that are often used in animal cages. You can also find them in some pet stores. Shavings are absorbent and help keep your chick’s area clean and dry.
Pine Shavings
Pine shavings are small pieces of wood that are often used in animal cages. They are absorbent and help keep your chick’s area clean and dry. Pine shavings are also soft, so your chicks can sleep comfortably on them. Pine shavings are a good choice for bedding for baby chicks.
Straw
Straw is often used in chicken coops because it is absorbent and helps keep the area clean. It can also be used as bedding for baby chicks. Straw is absorbent, so it will help keep your chick’s area clean and dry. straw is also soft, so your chicks can sleep comfortably on it.
Sand
Sand is absorbent and helps keep the area clean, but it can be a bit more difficult to find than other types of bedding. Sand is also soft, so your chicks can sleep comfortably on it. However, sand can be a bit more difficult to find than pine shavings or straws.
How to Choose the Best Bedding for Baby Chicks
When you are choosing to bed for your baby chicks, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, you want to make sure the bedding is absorbent and will help keep their area clean and dry. Second, you want to make sure the bedding is soft so your chicks can sleep comfortably. And third, you want to make sure the bedding is easy to find so you don’t have to search too hard for it.
Pine shavings, straw, and sand are all good choices for bedding for baby chicks. Just make sure to keep the above factors in mind when you are making your decision.
How to Clean Baby Chick Bedding
You should clean your chick’s bedding regularly to help keep their area clean and dry. To clean pine shavings, straw, or sand, simply remove the soiled bedding and replace it with fresh bedding. You can also use a vacuum to clean up any loose bedding.
When you are cleaning your chick’s bedding, you should also keep an eye out for any signs of disease or illness. If you see any symptoms, you should take your chick to the vet immediately.
Final Thoughts
Getting the best bedding for baby chicks doesn’t mean you are wasting money making the chicks live comfortably. Rather, it means you want them to stay healthy and save you tons of money in treatment. That’s why you need to ensure you get the best bedding possible.