Chicks pecking at shavings, good or bad, they may be eating it? HELP!

[n2thestorm5032]

So its been a week, to a week an a half. and when i cleaned out their brooder I decided its time for a little bit of pine shavings, not all the brooder is pine shavings just about 1/4 of it, just in case they dont like it, they can still sleep on the paper towel. so I put it in the brooder, and turns out they like it to much, they are pecking at the shavings more then they are their own food, I can't tell if they are eating it, or not! but I know they have tried it because as I watched them, they would peck and I wouldn't see them drop it, so I know they have ate it, but they kept pecking! What to do, What to do?

 

[coffeelady3]

I don't know if it's normal, but mine have been doing the same thing for the past month and they seem fine. It could be that they're just practicing for scratching out in the yard.

 

[hwerner]

Mine do the same thing. I never thought about it until last hatch a souple of months ago. Now I keep a close eye on them. I lost a bantam polish due to she ate the shavings and they got caught in throat. When I found her, it was too late and her beak was full of shavings. I kept pulling them out only to find that they were stuck to deep. I have now learned to use a bigger size, we went from shavings to wood chips. They are bigger and harder for chick to try and eat. Don't mean to alarm you, but wanted to let you be aware so you don't have a loss like I did.

 

[Chirpy]

Put the pine shavings down over the whole bottom and put the paper towels (not newspaper - it's too slippery) on top of the shavings. Give them another few days on the paper towels so that they will see some shavings (which will naturally end up on top of the towels as they move around). Then, take away a couple of the paper towels for a day or two, then take away more papers towels for a day or two, then take them all away. Keep their feed on the paper towels until you take them all way.

Chicks will naturally pick up the shavings and check them out to see if they are food but will usually spit them back out. By the age your chicks are now they should quickly learn that shavings are not food but something to dig through and check out.

Good luck.

 

[n2thestorm5032]

Thank you all, I will watch them and take some of your guy's advice!