I’m going to be getting chicks for the first time very soon. Curious as to what you use instead of pine shavings for the brooder flooring material. I’ve heard paper towels for the first week or so and then mostly pine shavings. Is there something that works better for you? Thanks!
Different people use different things.
Puppy pee pads seem to be popular.
My personal preference is a good thick layer of newspaper, with a single layer of paper towel over the top. The newspaper is to absorb any spilled water, and the paper towel is to provide good traction so the chicks are not slipping around on the newspaper (they probably don't like slipping, but the more important point is that it can also cause joint issues for them.)
After the first few days or a week, the chicks are much better at knowing what is good to eat, and they are much more coordinated in their motions as well.
For later bedding, I like any dry material that chicks can scratch around that I can put in a garden or compost pile later. I've used dry leaves, wood chips, hay or straw, pine shavings, dried grass clippings, dry pine needles, sawdust, actual dirt, and probably a lot more things that I've forgotten. I prefer things that I do not have to buy, so I have only used pine shavings once, even though I've raised chicks dozens of times.
Chicks WILL scratch their bedding around, get it in their feed and water, and make a dusty mess wherever they are. Brooding them outdoors means the mess is not in your house. After a few days, you can put the feeder and especially the waterer up on something to keep it a bit cleaner. You can raise it until the edge is about level with the chicks' backs, and they will still drink just fine. Or you can put on something larger, with enough space for the chicks to hop up and stand while they drink. The chicks get much better at jumping and flying over the first few weeks, and they also scratch bedding more vigorously, so you may need to adjust it every few days at some stages.