What should I do with my chicks?

[blue fire]

I have 2 RIR chicks, 1 barred rock, and 1 buff orpington and all of them are 2 and a half weeks old. Every time I pull up their newspaper and try to replace it with shavings they eat it! I realy don't want them to get sick from eating shavings, but I can't leave them on the newspaper! What should I do!?

 

[aran]

hey mate...im new here and have no chickens yet!!!!! they are arriving tomorrow...but from what i have gathered from reading on this site, put the shavings under a layer of papertowels.

 

[blue fire]

I have tried that but they scratch it out from under the paper. I guess I need to be more patient with them. This is the first time I have ever raised chicks so I worry more than I should.

 

[Heidi]

Pull up the paper and let them pick and eat the shavings. They will quit - mine did. (I also have buffs and barred rocks - they are 8 weeks old now) Just make sure they have plenty of food. You might want to add just a little sand in a separate dish too - they can use that as grit. They will be o.k.

 

[blue fire]

Thanks! I was a little worried that I might need to wait soo much longer to switch them to shavings!