Advice please - Are my chicks bored? Do they need a bigger home?

[mommabird]

Hi there! We have 6 leghorn chicks which are almost 4 weeks old and are currrently living in a large Tote bin and have seemed pretty happy until recently. It's not that they seem unhappy they've just started getting a little louder and are growing like weeds (or like chicks, I guess) and are beginning to fill the bin a little faster than i had anticipated.

We will be finishing their coop over the next weekend or two and I hope to have them in there when they are about 6 or 7 weeks old. In the mean time, will they be ok in the bin, even if it is getting to be a tighter fit? If not, any suggestions as to what I can move them into for the remaining two weeks or so (I really don't want to spend a ton of money getting or building a new space for such a short time)?

Lastly...do you think they could be getting bored? We try to take them outside for a bit each day (when the weather cooperates) but we don't really have anything in the bin for them with the exception of a couple of broken branches to use for roosting. Should I be giving them some sort of "toys"? If so, any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[CorinneP]

I am sure they will be fine for two more weeks providing they arent so crowded they can hurt them selves .. Or really stomp each other. I do bet they appreciate their out door play .. But they have each other and really don't need any toys .. just lots of Fresh water and clean food .. Have you been reducing the heat a little bit .. They may be getting too warm .. as the heat can go down five degrees every week . And two warm will slow them down from getting the feathers they need for the big Girl Coop ~ Corinne

 

[Eowyn2]

How big is your tote? (inches or feet) 4 week old chicks need anywhere from 1/2 to 1.5 square feet per chick, so they might need more room depending on the size of the tote. I increased the room for my chicks by putting newspaper on the floor and putting up a "baby jail" playpen around them. They were much happier.

 

[Baymule]

give them intresting treats to eat. Not a lot, but greens of some sort or bugs. I put a small trash can with water in the bottom under the porch light for June bugs for my girls. They go crazy for them! I also gave mine ( when they were chicks) the cardboard tube from the toilet paper to play with. In the meantime, they should be fine till you finish the coop. Good luck with your chicks!!

 

[Tigertrea]

give them intresting treats to eat. Not a lot, but greens of some sort or bugs. I put a small trash can with water in the bottom under the porch light for June bugs for my girls. They go crazy for them! I also gave mine ( when they were chicks) the cardboard tube from the toilet paper to play with. In the meantime, they should be fine till you finish the coop. Good luck with your chicks!!

Good to hear I'm not the only one who give them TP tubes! I thought maybe I was odd...guess I'm no odder than others! LOL