We put horse bedding pellets in the bottom of the brooder under the water. Then put Medium pine chips over the pellets and in the rest of the brooder. You still have to clean it out every couple of days but it scoops out like a damp dust. It's by far the best way I've found.
In my double decker brooder using pellets, I NEVER got yucky duck smell. Now that I have them in their outdoor teenager digs with just pine shaving...EWWW!
I am going back to pellets...I just have to remember to wet them down so they crumble first
Here's what I've tried: shavings, shredded paper, now straw. The straw is awesome with them. They are even nesting in it together. I also use a heating pad under the stock tank we have them in. They all cuddle together on it, and when it gets warmer in the day they have room to move around. The straw is working better than anything I have tried yet. It's actually coastal hay, but that's what the guy at my local feed store said to use since he is out of shavings. I don't think I will go back to shavings anyways. My chickies are on it as well, they love scratching around in it and it doesn't get in the water fount as bad as the shavings did. Just my experience.