Hello Amanda, Thankyou for your question. To be honest we have tried everything and without a doubt we recommend an horse bedding called Easibed for chick rearing and for chicken houses. It is highly asorbant and the birds enjoy turning it over. Dust extracted shavings would be second best but start very thin and build up thickness over time. I really recommend AGAINST using shredded paper and cardboard as this is often eaten and fatalities are very high. I hope this has helped with your question. Kind regards P&T Poultry