Baby chicks STILL eating pine shavings

[PiGE0N]

Recently got some chicks last week (about 4-6 days old), kept them inside the house for a bit on paper towels/newspaper in a box. Early Monday morning I moved them outside under my broody hen where I set up a spot for them and things have been going well... except the chicks are eating the pine shave bedding. They have all this mash for them but they prefer to eating that. what the heck?? and I've seen them eat some good sized pieces and I'm scared they are eating way too much, one of their crops feel hard or bumpy, not big but enough to feel as if they ate it.
I tried at least putting paper towel below their feeder but they still eat the pieces that kick onto the towel or in the feeder, now I tried covering a good portion with newspaper but I doubt this is going to work out or be convenient as they'll step in their own poop and still eat whatever they scratch up from underneath the papers. Seriously how do you guys deal with this? will the pine shavings pass through or build up in their crop? They gladly ate up just a tiny pinch of grit I sprinkled out, I don't want them overfilling on that either.
They're on chick start & grow non-medicated mash (actually I had to blend it up to mash cuz they wouldn't eat it in crumble form), and one chick seems to be very picky on which pieces of her actual food to eat, I'm worried that one's not getting enough with how tiny specific mash she wants, her crop is small or empty. She drinks water and clearly has an interest in eating but not taking big enough pecks.

Advices?

 

[Mamatomany123]

All 11 of my chickens ate shavings. All 11 are fine.

 

[RhondaWW]

I am really new at this also. Have had mine for less than 3 weeks and have observed them eat some small bits of shavings, but nothing too substantial. They do also eat their chick feed (they go through a shocking amount of feed) but don't seem to have any ill effects from the small amount of shavings that they kick into their feed dish and consume with the real stuff.

 

[3KillerBs]

I used coarse flake shavings rather than fine shavings. They pick at them, but the pieces are mostly about quarter-sized so I guess they don't come across as something to eat for the chicks.

 

[PiGE0N]

In the past I used construction sand, covered the area with paper towels, but it was easier cuz the brooder was smaller and they learned more quickly I think... I've given up on the newspaper though, when I went back up there it was torn up and pine shavings still scratched up.
Luckily I was able to spark the baby brahma's interest in eating more by simply mixing mash with water, especially eats it when the hen offers it with her clucking... gave em some finely chopped hard boiled egg yolk too, baby happily ate that n finally getting more food in her system.
I don't remember my last brood being this difficult lol