Favorite litter material for brooders? Chicks sneezing with pine shavings...

[15gardenchooks]

I recently bought 9 chicks of mixed ages 1-3 weeks old. At first I was using just old towels on the bottom of their brooder because I always get nervous about them eating pine shavings. However I started adding a layer of pine shavings on top of the towel yesterday because they are making such a mess. However when I was handling them last night I noticed several of them were sneezing a little. They all look great and have no discharge or anything but was wondering if maybe the dust was irritating them? I have used pine shavings in the past without problems but am being super careful with these expensive little guys I got from a breeder.
We just use a plastic tub with the Brinsea Ecoglow.

What litter material to you guys like best?
Have you noticed sneezing or respiratory issues with pine shavings in young chicks?

 

[GC-Raptor]

Are your pine shavings fresh and dry?
I used pine shavings for both batches of day old Chicks. I never noticed sneezing.
I use shavings from day one with paper towels over shavings for the first 3 days. I also use a plastic tub for the first week.

I use a heat lamp.

GC

 

[rc4u]

at Runnings they have compacted straw bales for like 12 bucks and I like that way better than chip, shavings, sand ect.. actually I like little chips and straw..even now I have straw in bottom of brooder and stays clean and no smell

 

[15gardenchooks]

Thanks, @GC-Raptor yes it is definitely clean and dry. I usually use paper towels as well but we are on short supply due to the pandemic craze over paper products...

@rc4u I will take a look for that next time I run to the feed store!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Shredded newspaper is also an option......
I have pelleted pine bedding for my horses. I may give that a try for my next hatchlings.

 

[sdm111]

Wheat straw

 

[rosemarythyme]

Pine or aspen shavings should be fine. Maybe your batch is a little dustier than normal (I've gotten some bags that were definitely finer/dustier)? Or maybe it's just that they need to adjust to the change.

 

[rc4u]

heres some chicks in food bowl sleeping with straw in bottom