Are they bored in the brooder?

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Toi-toi

Toi-toi

Songster
9 Years
May 12, 2010
403
2
121
Central MA
My 2.5 weeks old chicks are in guinea pig cage brooder.
They have food, water and grit.
They have enough space to roam around and temp is comfortable range.

When they find me around (brooder is covered with cardboard, they can't see me), they start peeping so loud.
Start gathering front of the door.
When I open the door, they just jump on me and stay for while and go back to brooder.
Jump on/off me and fine, soft peeps going on.
But once I close the door, they start peeping loud and jump on the door and trying to get out.

Are they bored in the brooder, that's why they do that??
How do I entertain them without me??
 
Give them some small mealworms to play with. You can get them at most pet stores who sell reptiles. Make sure they are SMALL. Or some small crickets. They will chase them around until they eat it.
wee.gif


BTW, I have 6 SS coming this next week!
 
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Mealworms?? Is that live worm or dried worm?
I'm not sure I can touch worms without gloves...
But I can do crickets!

I found some bugs around house, like flies and moths. I dropped in the brooder but they are not going nuts like they did with spaghetti.
Is there any bugs I shouldn't give them???

AND congrats to your new ss chicks!
 
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Live mealworms 'cause they squirm around. Just "shake" them in from their container. No need to touch. If the chicks like spaghetti, they will love the mealworms.
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Don't feed them any bugs that were stuck to fly paper or sprayed with insect spray...... the softer the bug, the better. Try small slugs too. You will need gloves for them!
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I put an empty toilet paper tube in my brooder with the chicks. Plus a "baby roost" bar for them to practice. Some folks but a small branch in there for chicks to play on and around.

But I don't think it's boredom that makes them peep for you - it's "Where's Mommy?"
smile.png
 
Quote:
Ohhh, if so, I'm happy
smile.png

I know I have to do work but I can't leave them alone!!
They are so cute. I don't think I have that kinda feeling with other animals.
 
oh goody...I thought it was just my chickies that did that, and I wondered the same thing about boredom. I love the wheres mommy theory * warm fuzzies* But think I will put the toilet paper tube a try. Probably nothing wrong with the chickies getting some exersize and play time.
 
I put empty toilet paper tube. They freaked out and not doing anything.
How they play with it?? Go on the top or something???

Hopefully my husband set up play pan this weekend for my chicks.
 
Chick(en)s are afraid of anything new. Leave it be. After awhile, one or another will check it out. Sometimes they stand on it (and it rolls) and sometimes they put their heads into the tube to check things out. It's just an enrichment item, for something to do. A couple of my chicks would peck at the ends and tug the TP tube around.
 
We built a small perch for our chicks. Then realized it was too small -- they were fighting over it. So we had to build a larger one!
 

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