Age for “enrichment”

[Megaletta]

Hi all,
We just got three baby chicks yesterday (3 days old today). These are our first ever chicks. I have read about sand boxes, twigs, fresh grass and weeds, toilet paper rolls, and bugs. What are some ages or milestones to look for before introducing different things like that? Is there a site with published information for each week of chick development?

thanks!

 

[boskelli1571]

https://www.communitychickens.com/a-week-by-week-plan-for-raising-baby-chicks/
This link is helpful

 

[NightingaleJen]

https://www.communitychickens.com/a-week-by-week-plan-for-raising-baby-chicks/
This link is helpful

That is a good article, thank you! Although this part--"For the first week of their life, the chicks will sleep quite a bit."--cracked me up. Our chicks (week old this coming Monday) must be sneakily ordering coffee delivered to the coop, in tiny edible cups no less. They don't seem to stop!

Also, @Megaletta, I have read chicks like classical music. Can't hurt. I have a Bach station on Pandora, and the chicks don't seem to mind hearing it, anyhow.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Well, bear in mind a mama bird leaves her nest within a day or two of the first egg hatching. And the chicks go with her. Where she goes, they go. What she encounters they encounter. So it's pretty much open season on enrichment for chicks, just give chick sized grit if you put in things they can eat that aren't crumbled feed.

 

[boskelli1571]

That is a good article, thank you! Although this part--"For the first week of their life, the chicks will sleep quite a bit."--cracked me up. Our chicks (week old this coming Monday) must be sneakily ordering coffee delivered to the coop, in tiny edible cups no less. They don't seem to stop!

Also, @Megaletta, I have read chicks like classical music. Can't hurt. I have a Bach station on Pandora, and the chicks don't seem to mind hearing it, anyhow.

Chickens do like music - soft and soothing - no heavy metal, no Bachs' toccata and fugue. Something serene

 

[NightingaleJen]

Chickens do like music - soft and soothing - no heavy metal, no Bachs' toccata and fugue. Something serene

To be fair, I'm with them 100% on that count...

 

[pamelajean]

I was wondering the same thing with respect to enrichment. With my ducks, it was always some daily outdoor swim time. I feel the need to take my chicks outside to play for a short time but I'm not sure if that is the right thing to do! (mine are now 2 weeks old)