Bored babies??

[lisahaschickens]

Mine LOVE yogurt. I started them with it by drizzling some over some of their feed in a little bowl. They went nuts for it! And the feed helps keep them from making such a mess.

And I forgot about grass/dirt clumps. Mine used to love those too (they free range now at 6 weeks, so no need). They ignored it for about 24 hours and then I went to check them once and the clumps I put in there were completely gone! I brought them some more and they were all over them in a second! They tear them apart and play keep-away with sticks, roots, worms, etc. And they love to eat the grass.

 

[daps2000]

Quote:
Good idea ... I don't think Pet Smart is the place for a toy!

And I do have some pine cones in the yard!

 

[simpleliving]

Hi everyone - I am new to this whole chick thing - have two (one 2 week old Welsummer and one 1 week old BO and getting two young ones (2-3 days) today - a Speckled Sussex and a Light Brahma. My question for you is what ages can I start putting this stuff in their brooder. I wouldn't worry so much about the older two but what about the new ones? And if they are eating the grass, worms, etc., do they need grit? And what do I put the grit in - some type of container or just sprinkle it in the shavings? And they will know what to do with it? Mine do love yogurt - go crazy trying to get it off my fingers and now my older one is about taking off my finger when I put my hand in there so probably not the best thing to have taught her to do!

Thanks,

Holli

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Hi Holli and welcome to BYC!
I started yogurt and chopped hard boiled egg @ 10 days old. Some start treats earlier, some later.
I didn't offer grit for those two things, but once they were eating other foods that needed grinding I offered a small dish of plain parakeet grit. They'll eat grit like it's candy, so it's probably best you only offer small amounts at first.

 

[fzouk]

This is the 2nd day I've had mine so that makes them 4 days old. I know it's too early for treats yet but is there any reason not to give them leaves or peat moss to play with? They are active as all get out and seem ready for some fun, but then again they are still really young and it's only their 2nd day here.

Thanks! I was going to post with this exact same question and then saw that it was already on here- you guys are so fast you answer my questions before I can even ask them!

Frances

 

[Laura78]

Quote:
Is it not too cold for 6 week olds? I've got some 6 week olds that I'm wanting to get outside, I've got brooders everywhere, lol.

 

[cmom]

I put a tray in my brooder with some pine shavings in it for the chicks to scratch, peck in and they even sleep in it. I change the shaving daily as they do poop in it too.

 

[lisahaschickens]

Laura78... they don't seem to mine the cold at all! I used to worry about them some, and I don't let them free-range if it's really bad outside, but even if it's in the 40s and kinda windy or rainy, they LOVE it outside. They all run out as fast as they can and have all kinds of fun. If it's super cold, windy, or rainy, though, I make them stay inside and they are not happy with me. At 6 weeks old, they are hardly using the heat lamps at all anymore and mostly perch around the coop away from the lights for sleeping. It's pretty cute... they're growing up so fast!

I've been letting the free-range (with supervision) since they were about 4 weeks old. Again, though, I am wary of too cold and too wet. Today (rainy and about 50 degrees), I have the chicken (pop) doors open for them to go in the run and they are going out and coming back in some, but it's pretty wet out, so they're in a lot of the time. Yesterday they were out in the run all day and had two free-ranging sessions and loved ever minute of it - I was wearing my ski jacket but they didn't seem to care a lick! They are hardier than we give them credit for. I watch them very carefully for signs of distress, discomfort, etc, and I err on the cautious side, but I want them to be outside whenever possible. I also moved them out to the coop at 2 weeks with the heat lamps and they have been thriviing!

 

[jonesgirl]

Ok so I went to the feed store, got a red bulb, a cuddle bone for them to play with, and they showed me this stuff called black salve...
you put it on the chickens who were being nibbled at and the others won't nible on them anymore...

and we left the store without a bunny so my daughter cried... Streaming tears.. lol

I was kinda bummed they didn't have chicks yet, but I think the 4 I have in the brooder don't mind that at all :}

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
My Ken made a small portable roost for the chicks with a board on the bottom, two triangle pieces and a short little pole. They loved it