Chick boredom

[tampachick]

I thought it was my imagination that my 3 week old baby Jersey Giants were bored... they just graduated to a bigger coop on the porch during the day, and are kept in the garage (predators) at night. My question is, we have a nice patch of new grass we can put in there, but I lost one of my beautiful hens (Peaches, an Ameracauna) 4 days ago because of an impacted crop. I learned a hard lesson too late. The sweet girl died in my arms. I don't want to put my babies in harms way with grass, fearing an impacted crop. Any suggestions, recommendations?

Karen

(RIP my beautiful Peaches). (the new big girl coop)

 

[16 paws]

I thought it was my imagination that my 3 week old baby Jersey Giants were bored... they just graduated to a bigger coop on the porch during the day, and are kept in the garage (predators) at night. My question is, we have a nice patch of new grass we can put in there, but I lost one of my beautiful hens (Peaches, an Ameracauna) 4 days ago because of an impacted crop. I learned a hard lesson too late. The sweet girl died in my arms. I don't want to put my babies in harms way with grass, fearing an impacted crop. Any suggestions, recommendations?

Karen

(RIP my beautiful Peaches). (the new big girl coop)

I like that enclosure, where did you pick that up?
Marie

 

[tampachick]

Hi Marie. Believe it or not, Amazon. I'll look for the link and post it for you.

 

[TwoCrows]

Field trips to a safe enclosure outside are always a great boredim buster and burns calories. I always keep branches, roost bars and a box to play in inside the brooder. I add a small amount of dried leaves, alfalfa leaves, chick starter and a tiny bit of sand for grit. Really helps them from picking on each other, toes, eyes and keeps them busy.

 

[tampachick]

I like that enclosure, where did you pick that up?
Marie

https://www.amazon.com/Advantek-Ori...F8&qid=1473017255&sr=1-25&keywords=dog+kennel

it's really a "dog kennel", but too small for my little one. Started with 2 laying 3-4 month old girls (free ranging during the day), but they've got the big girl enclosure now. This is great for the babies because there's plenty of room. I have 2 feeders, 2 waterers, a sand bath tub, a roosting bar and plenty of room to play in. The top can be tied down which is great, but also can be left open so you can look in on them from up top. Here's a picture from "up top" and an angle view showing the top too.

 

[HaloAmanda]

Can I give insects to mine? I have 21 baby chicks. 19 of them will turn 1 week in the next 2 days. Two of them are 2 weeks old.

A big winner is a small tub of sand to "dirt" bathe in. Peat moss is a nice medium, too, and the chicks love burrowing into it.

Chicks, even very young ones, can benefit from trips outdoors to dig and explore. Don't worry about being away from a heat source. They can handle time away from it. Just watch for signs of chilling and select a day over 70F with no strong breezes.

And for occasional high excitement, nothing beats meal worms.

 

[azygous]

If you don't have meal worms, yes, any insects will be fine. One of the first things my baby chicks get is grass hoppers. Be sure to provide grit when you start feeding anything other than chick feed.

I have to tell you a fun story. I have a single baby chick being reared by a broody hen. When I first gave her meal worms at just a few days old, the chick's first instinct upon grabbing a meal worm was to run off with it, peeping madly. But there were no other chicks to play "keep-away" with, so she's been deprived of this exciting game.

Yesterday, I found a live grasshopper, a huge one, in the rain barrel. This chick is now four weeks old and is being integrated into the main flock by the broody hen. When I gave the chick the grasshopper, she took off running with it, and this time she had others to play keep-away with because every adult hen in the run gave chase. It was just hilarious to see that tiny chick with the huge grasshopper in her tiny beak with a trail of big chickens chasing her around the run.

No, they didn't get her precious treasure away from her. She managed to evade everyone and she ate the thing all herself.

 

[HaloAmanda]

Besides the constant scratching in their shavings this is the main reason I'm looking to provide treats today. It was a for able but mdebwm feel and to see the chicks playing keep away with big pieces of the pine shavings lol

If you don't have meal worms, yes, any insects will be fine. One of the first things my baby chicks get is grass hoppers. Be sure to provide grit when you start feeding anything other than chick feed.

I have to tell you a fun story. I have a single baby chick being reared by a broody hen. When I first gave her meal worms at just a few days old, the chick's first instinct upon grabbing a meal worm was to run off with it, peeping madly. But there were no other chicks to play "keep-away" with, so she's been deprived of this exciting game.

Yesterday, I found a live grasshopper, a huge one, in the rain barrel. This chick is now four weeks old and is being integrated into the main flock by the broody hen. When I gave the chick the grasshopper, she took off running with it, and this time she had others to play keep-away with because every adult hen in the run gave chase. It was just hilarious to see that tiny chick with the huge grasshopper in her tiny beak with a trail of big chickens chasing her around the run.

No, they didn't get her precious treasure away from her. She managed to evade everyone and she ate the thing all herself.

 

[HaloAmanda]

The store I night my chicks is an hour away and they had chick grit but said I did not need it. Now I'm not sure of anywhere local to get some. What is used as chick grit and is there anything I can get from a regular bird store. I really wanted to get them some crickets today. Also I never fed crickets to birds but used to own reptiles. Is there any benefit to the chicks if I gut load the crickets first?

 

[TwoCrows]

The store I night my chicks is an hour away and they had chick grit but said I did not need it. Now I'm not sure of anywhere local to get some. What is used as chick grit and is there anything I can get from a regular bird store. I really wanted to get them some crickets today. Also I never fed crickets to birds but used to own reptiles. Is there any benefit to the chicks if I gut load the crickets first?

Grit is only needed if you feed them things other than their chick starter. Anything NOT water soluble will need grit.

You can go to any pet shop and purchase Parakeet grit. It comes in a small box. It's basically sand. Don't leave a bowl of it out as chicks can sometimes think it is food and will fill their crops and can die. Just a heavy sprinkling on some food, as if you are over salting a plate of food. It doesn't take much grit for their tiny gizzards.