Brooder "flooring" possibility

[Palm City Peep]

Anybody try using "puppy training pads" in the bottom of their brooders? I'm a newbie and read where newspaper is too slick (can lead to "splayed legs") and sawdust is too small (chicks may eat the stuff). Wood shavings (excluding cedar) seem too big. Am expecting 12 chicks this coming August or September (depending on my coop progress) and am trying to anticipate and avoid mistakes. Perhaps I'm making a mountain out of a molehill! Puppy training pads are available at my local Walgreens - 50 pads for $10.

 

[Gallusfarm]

Yes-I've used them, because we had some left over... They work really great! However I'd don't think I'd go buy more for that purpose - paper towels work just as well. By about a week, we toss in some shavings.

 

[Anianna]

Sounds unnecessarily expensive.

I use paper towels for the first few days with the youngest chicks, but mine are on pine shavings before they are a week old and do just fine. I use the larger shavings like are marketed for use in horse stalls. I find that it's less dusty.

 

[darkmatter]

Sounds unnecessarily expensive.

Just rake up pine straw from under the trees, lawn clippings (dried), straw or whatever. It all works if it's not too slick or toxic.