Baby chick trying dustbathe in the feed

[jonalisa]

Hello, I have new chicks who are 10 days old. One chick, my Green Queen Easter Egger, is trying to dustbathe in the feed. I don't recall this with my earlier chicks, so I figured I should ask - Should I provide a way for them to dustbathe in the brooder at this age? My brooder is huge - 4'x6'.
Thanks, all!

 

[sourland]

It's not necessary, but it might make them happy. I would, for sure, get a feeder that the chicks can't get into.

 

[jonalisa]

It's not necessary, but it might make them happy. I would, for sure, get a feeder that the chicks can't get into.

Would I provide sand? If so, what type?

 

[jonalisa]

It's not necessary, but it might make them happy. I would, for sure, get a feeder that the chicks can't get into.

These are the 2 I have. What type do you recommend?

 

[rosemarythyme]

A shallow pan of dry dirt from outside would be good enrichment for them (they can dig and scratch at that instead of the feed) as well as act as a dust bath.

 

[Coops Dad]

Of those two feeders, I prefer the rectangular one. The one with the quart jar needs any excess feed to be dumped out before you can unscrew the jar, fill it, then upturn the feeder part in order to screw it onto the jar. It doesn't seem like a hassle until you're doing it every time you'll be leaving your chicks for a while and want to make sure they're not going to starve, lol.

 

[K0k0shka]

You can make things better by elevating the feeders on wooden blocks or bricks. As long as they can reach in to eat when standing - they don't have to bend down to eat. Having it lower makes it easier for them to step on it, poop in it, and rake food out with their beaks.

The one with the quart jar needs any excess feed to be dumped out before you can unscrew the jar, fill it, then upturn the feeder part in order to screw it onto the jar

It's definitely annoying. But you don't have to throw away and waste the dumped feed. I have a small bucket that I dump into, to open the feeder, then pour the feed right back in along with the new feed. So there's no waste from the refilling process.

 

[jonalisa]

Well I bought a $4 lasagna pan and a bag of Play Sand.
I'll try the dry dirt next... We've had a week of rainy weather...

 

[aart]

These are the 2 I have. What type do you recommend?

You can modify one of them to greatly reduce spillage.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/mod-to-standard-chick-feeder.75657/

As well as elevating it.
I use 8oz sour cream container filled with sand(for weight).

 

[AntiqueB]

I have a 2 week old who gets supervised dustbathing time every couple days in the hole the bigger girls dug out for themselves. We stay out for perhaps 20 minutes, and she loves it. If you have the time and a way to do it, they might enjoy being outside for a bit, and the dirt's already there!