Alleviating boredom?

[TJAnonymous]

I have 2 baby chicks that I hatched from an incubator about 10 days ago. Since it is just the 2 of them, I'm finding that they are getting really bored throughout the day and start chirping really loud to get me to come interact with them. They are not cold, hungry, or thirsty. Like any good mama, I ruled those concerns out right away. They are just...well, bored.

What have you done in the past to alleviate boredom in your chicks?

 

[ameliathedominant]

i put a tiny little mirror in my chicks brooder. it was adorable they would preen in front of it every day

 

[thanai]

@ameliathedominant has a good suggestion there. You could also try putting in some sturdy, low roosts for them to play on. Also I read somewhere (I forget where) that you can use old DVD backs as mirrors if you don't have a small mirror. Hope this helps!

 

[ameliathedominant]

yes i put a rock in the brooder with them and they loved to cannonball off it as well as roost. i made them a wooden perch when they got more experience with their feet.

 

[TJAnonymous]

The MHP takes up almost half the room in the tub but they really enjoy jumping on top of it. I could probably add some roosts on the other side that they can play on. And I love the idea of the mirror!

 

[TJAnonymous]

Since they are over a week old now, are there any treats I can give them to pick at? With chick grit, of course.... Or should I just wait on that?

 

[ameliathedominant]

you can give them some small live mealworms if you can get any. and once they start growing their big girl (or boy) feathers they can be let outside for a while every day.

 

[DobieLover]

Dig a chunk of sod out of the yard where they will eventually live and give that to them.
After their initial terror of the alien being you unleashed on them subsides, they will have a grand time shredding it and picking out the tiny morsels they find. It's a great way to start to build their immunity.