Mistake? Pine shavings in brooder is a no-no?

[Vonnie7]

I have lined my brooder with pine shavings and put 2 week keets and pullets inside the brooder this morning. Just now I read not to put anything in the brooder. Why are pine shavings not a good thing to use?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I always use pine shavings. Some people have had problems with chicks eating them so they use paper towels or puppy pads the first couple days but I've brooded at least half a dozen batches of chicks (I can't count back in my head its a blur of feathers) with pine shavings and no problems at all

 

[R2elk]

I have lined my brooder with pine shavings and put 2 week keets and pullets inside the brooder this morning. Just now I read not to put anything in the brooder. Why are pine shavings not a good thing to use?

Guinea keets have been known to eat the shavings, become plugged up and die if they don't have grit to be able to grind them up.

If you have them on shavings, make sure they have the proper size grit available.

I do not recommend brooding keets and chicks together due to the problems that imprinting can cause.