Coop Litter w/ Recycled Paper

[Wxguru]

Boy do I feel like an idiot. So I have raised my now 15wk old chicks on nothing but pine shavings in the brooder. Having looked around the web, I wanted to incorporate recycled paper into the coop litter so that I could cut down on cost of shavings (i have unlimited recycled paper access).
So last night I dumped an entire bag of shavings into a 30sq ft coop and then half a bag of recycled paper and mixed it all up.
Here is the problem....put the girls in it this morning, and having never seen recycled paper before, they are eating it like it is food!!! I don't know exactly what to do at this point. The recycled paper is in pieces about 1" long...nothing longer than that really. I have put food and water in there...they did peck at the food so they know where the food is....and I stuck a bowl of grit in there with them also.
Are they going to figure this out, or is this going to kill them if they get gluttonous on recycled paper? What should I be watching for here? Advice on what to do? I don't know really how to get their mind off the stupid paper!!!

 

[DiannaMM]

i have used recycled paper before several times with no troubles. And I'm pretty sure they may have ingested some of it as well. if you are worried put out some extra grit for them to help digest and pass what they may have swallowed.

 

[DiannaMM]

Ha,i just read where you did put grit in. keep an eye on them and make sure they pass what they ingested with no troubles.

 

[Wxguru]

Thank you! One would think they would realize it has not taste and is really DRY...lol. But they keep on grazing.......well I think they slowed way down....I am at work now so hoping they are fine when I come home

 

[Wxguru]

Just an update....so far they are still eating the paper on occasion...but are pooping normal...crops are normal. Plenty of grit available for them too.