Bored babies??

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree. My chicks were going out at around 2 weeks old (temps. mainly in the 60s), on sunny windless days. You have to watch them carefully. When they show signs of being chilled it's time for them to go back under their heat lamp(s).
If mama chicken was raising them, she'd have them out. When they started getting chilled, back under her wings they'd go.

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Pine cones turned out to be a hit as did a piece of fig/nut bread from the organic store as it made them break out into a game of chicken rugby. I did get a better perch from a downed branch on an old oak tree and also put in an old shallow baking dish filled with sand and grit. I think I have the happiest chickens in town!!

I'm afraid of feeding them egg as an old farmer told me hens that get a taste for egg can be egg breakers/cannibals. I think he meant if a raw egg gets broken though... hmm...

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Quote:
Yes, raw egg should not be fed to chickens. Scrambled and chop very fine or hard boil and chop very fine and feed them to the chicks. You can also grind the shell and feed it to older birds as a good protein source.
My Mother told me, that years ago, my Grandmother would put table leaves around the bottom of her woodburning stove with newspaper on the floor, and keep the chicks under there for a brooder. She fed them finely chopped egg and oatmeal! Thats all there was in those days for chick feed. You made your own.

 

[BorderKelpie]

I have always placed parakeet toys in my brooders, they love shiny things and little bells. This is my first attempt this spring with raising ducks (not sure how that happened, but they were sooooo cute...). I even tried the parakeet toys with the ducks (they are between 3 and 5 days old). The cutest thing I think I ever saw was Cameron (yes, we'ver named them all - After House, MD) sitting down to tug on the little jingle bell. I also hang various parrot and baby teething toys in my coop. Most of my older girls ignore them, but they do look cute in there and the pigeon will peck at them sometimes.

 

[kritterkeep]

Try some chopped hard boiled egg. They'll have a blast playing keep away with the pieces of egg white and the protein is good for them.

My in-laws have chickens (lots of chickens for meat and eggs) and we feed them scraps but we are not allowed to feed them any chicken or eggs because they say it will make them want to eat their own eggs and each other..

What to think about that?

I won't delet this but I should have kept reading and I would have seen more post of the say thing.

Donna B​

 

[daps2000]

What a great morning I'm having

... watching my baby's play with a hair barrette! I make these for my granddaughter ... so I took one that was bare (very shinny), tied it to the side of the box with a stretchy string ... so they pull and it springs back to place ... and I've been watching them all morning with my coffee!

I'm new to this message board. Is there a way to upload a video? I would love to share!

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

So far so good, they chase each other a bit if ones carrying something, but other than that contented peeping and no signs of pecking

Soooo happy and yes I can lay here for hours watching these little peeps! I am very glad to report I also found a nice organic farm for all my packing peanut roos, they have tons of land and a seperate bachelor pad!!

 

[mrsgibber]

I put in a cut out portion of a sturdy box and filled it with some soil and clumps of grass from outside. It turned into a downright party in the brooder last night. My babies were dusting, pecking, scratching up a storm. They made a mess but it was worth seeing these little mini chickens acting like grown chickens. They had a blast. They have also been roosting on the sides of the box I cut out. Too cute!

I am going to give them the yogurt tonight and see if I can find some pine cones.

I have a real hard time peeling myself away from these guys cause they are so much fun to watch.

 

[gritsar]

Re: feeding chicks egg. They don't have the intelligence to figure out that a hard boiled or scrambled egg is the same thing that's in their nest boxes. Raw eggs maybe, but not cooked.

 

[Desert Plum]

I'm so jealous you guys have such happy peepers! Mine are still scared wittless of me but I can't be around them like some can. I was thinking of turning the lamp off during the day so they can get use to the outside light. I did not think to put things in there to keep them entertained. I was going to try and put them outside in a controlled setting so they could get some sun, light and I could turn the lamp off for a change.
I will try the pine cone deal as Stripey, Cindy, Cinnamon like to peck at the temp gauge. They still won't roost but perhaps they don't really get it yet. After all on Monday they will just be a month old.

I see people are giving their chicks grit anyway but is it parakeet with or without calcium as that is all I can find.

I was going to cook some spinach for them and serve it up with grit.