Adding outside dirt to brooder?

[dbounds10]

I have just gotten new chicks. 4 are about a week old and 5 are about 3 days old. I had a flock of 18 that lived in a run/coop for 12 years. Most died of old age and my last 4 recently died in a predator attack. Should I start to put little scoops of dirt from the run in with the babies? I heard that was a good idea to get their immune systems started. The weather has been bad so it has really not been raked out so their is poop still in there. Sounds logical but seems a little gross LOL. Thoughts?

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I scoop dirt out of different areas of the yard and let the chicks scratch in it. I think I would start in the yard first, and then maybe the run once they get closer to moving out there. But, also, I would clean up the chicken yard and coop before moving them.
I also let the dirt dry out before giving it to them - not sure if it matters, but I read to give dry dirt. My weather has been so fickle, so the dirt was very wet when I first wanted to give it to them, so I let it dry out for about a day first.

 

[dbounds10]

I scoop dirt out of different areas of the yard and let the chicks scratch in it. I think I would start in the yard first, and then maybe the run once they get closer to moving out there. But, also, I would clean up the chicken yard and coop before moving them.
I also let the dirt dry out before giving it to them - not sure if it matters, but I read to give dry dirt. My weather has been so fickle, so the dirt was very wet when I first wanted to give it to them, so I let it dry out for about a day first.

Coop is totally cleaned out, pressure washed and going to get a fresh coat of paint before they move in. I will rake out the run real good and scoop some dirt into little boxes to dry out. We have been rainy here too!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would put in a bit of dirt from the coop run area, as that's where they'll be going once you're ready to out them out. I wouldn't deliberately go for poopy areas but a mix of dirt, decomposing poop and litter should be fine.

 

[Hylee Unlikely]

As long as they're healthy and bright eyed, I give my new chicks a tupperware dust bath of sand, fine pine mulch, coco coir, wood ash and DE (at about a week old) in their brooder and just watch closely for signs of diarrhea etc. They love it!
Next step in "hardening" and introducing them to the outside world is about at two weeks, they get to spend their first time outside in a grassy area for an hour or two (temperatures permitting).
They seem to get a boost from it, they thrive, eat and grow even faster after they've had some time in fresh air and sun!
Won't be long before they move to the "outside brooder" next to the big girls coop. Good luck with ur babies