Chick bedding change with age ...what do YOU do?

[CollegeChicken]

So this is my 6th year having chickens and in the past I honestly cant remember what I did! lol. Ive kept my chicks this year on paper towels. Now theyre about 3 and a half weeks old and they need to be switched to a traditional bedding. I was going to put them out in the coop with their heat lamp ( its 80-90 here during the day and 70-80 at night) but Im worried about switching them right over to bedding for fear they might ingest it since it will be new and intriguing. I like the idea of using sand in the coop with DE mixed in and a dash of sweet PDZ, have had great results with it in the past but Im worried the chicks will ingest the sand going straight from paper towels to sand..what do you guys think?>
p.s- I HATE pine shavings, they stick to everything including your clothes and your chicks , they blow all over the place, and they dont do much to control odor.
In my other coop I use compressed pine pelllets made for horse stalls and its AMAZING but a bit dusty...ive never had dust issues with sand as others describe..I think its because of our humid summers..the sand doesnt get as dry and dusty..

 

[HEChicken]

By now they should know what their food looks like so I wouldn't expect them to ingest their bedding. I don't use paper towels since I don't buy them for the household at all but I agree with you about pine shavings. Instead I brood on old cloth towels that can be shaken out and then washed and reused. I usually keep them in the brooder until they're about 3 weeks old then start to transition them out to the flock. I've never had any issue with them ingesting bedding at that age.

 

[CollegeChicken]

love the idea of re-using the cloth..great for traction for their feet and best of all re-usable after being thrown in the washer.... such an odd group of chicks i have. HUGE size differences due to breed differences and chicks developing at different rates. I have a tiny little buff silkie that is literally the size of my Brahmas head LOL altho theyre the same age

 

[gander007]

Sand is great also and re-usable just toss in the yard hit it with a hose and let it dry out and it will aid in keeping down the unpleasant order .....

 

[Mountain Peeps]

The best materials are shredded paper, large pine shavings and rubber shelf liner.