Adding some sod to brooder?

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suzyQlou

suzyQlou

Songster
8 Years
Mar 12, 2011
155
6
101
Dillsburg, PA
My Coop
My Coop
My husband's coworker is my chicken expert. I'm not sure I trust all his advise. Would it be ok to add a 5x5 square of sod to my brooder? My chicks are 3 weeks old. Our expert says they will go crazy over the chance to peck at the seeds/bugs/worms in real sod.

I'm thinking they will probably like it. I'm worried, though, that it might make it hard to clean the brooder or make my chicks sick if they eat the wrong thing.
 
As long as the sod isn't treated with herbicides or pesticides, then I can't think of a thing that could be wrong with it. My one-week-olds forage with momma hen across the turf, garden beds, horse piles, *EVERYWHERE*, which no ill effects.

It's just being a chicken.
 
I tried giving our 3 week old girls a lump of grass/sod from the yard.. Scared the CRAP out of them! They wouldn't go near it.
roll.png
I took it out and plan to try an outdoor play-time when the weather gets alittle warmer...

Let us know how it goes
smile.png
 
Last edited:
I tried giving my 17 day old chicks a small dandelion plant with root attached, and they also FREAKED OUT and piled on top of each other in the corner trying to escape, peeping hysterically. Even after I pecked at it with my finger as I usually do to show them something is interesting. I had to take it out. I'll try a different time.
 
Quote:
Im glad im not the only one who has scaredy "chickens"..lol My husband laughed so hard, told me to take it out before they had heart attacks..
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I've had them freak, but they have when I've changed feeders and waterers too. Just put it in a corner and leave it.
 
My chicks noticeably perked up health wise when I started using our yard dirt as their substrate. I'm pretty organic so no fertilizers or other synthetics in my soil. I added it to their enclosure after the one Sumatra chick died. No more runny poo between that and a bit of oats now-and-again.
smile.png
 
OK I have 5 brooders right now.

Had a cat kill almost all of one in the garage, so the 3 with the younger ones are in my livingroom. I said I'd never have chickens in my house, but the last year???

I ran out and grabbed grass. None of these have had it. The 2 week olds are all huddling but one and he's pecking and running. The week olds hit in a corner, but they are starting to check it out. The 5 or 6 day olds and my one day old were a little freaked too, but they were the first to start in on it.



Oops, I think I have month olds and 2 week old. hehe

The ones a few days old and the little day old are scratching away. they others run when they touch the grass, but the 2 week olds are still trying to check it out.

Maybe the younger you start the better. I've usually given it to them within a week, so these others are not as receptive.
 

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