chick dust bath

[mamajos]

How long has the tub been with them? It takes my girls a while to use something that is new—give it time. I bet they will use it.

 

[Ais]

It's been about two weeks. They play on the perch, their swing, and are on stage 2 of a Grandpa's Feeder... but no bathing inclinations yet. Not giving up!

 

[Ais]

So now a pile of peat moss on the ground... so far no interest

 

[rosemarythyme]

So now a pile of peat moss on the ground... so far no interest

Aww! All you can do is give them the opportunity. At some point, it'll click in one of their heads, and then it'll probably be a sudden flurry of dust bathing from everyone following the lead of the first bird that figures it out.

 

[neo71665]

Chickens are prey animals so naturally afraid of any and everything new. Takes them some time to adjust.

 

[Helymo]

They are messy. They went from cotton balls to mini dinosaurs in a week. They scratch and bathe in everything.

Same here Thank you for this post btw! I have one 2 week old trying to dust bathe in pine chips and found this in the search. Super helpful!

 

[24Elsinore]

Last year I raised some barred rocks from hatch and at about 3 weeks they were regularly dust bathing in dirt I put in a old dog dish. It did take them a little while to actually want to investigate the dish though.

 

[Ais]

Today I came home to this dirt spot in the run that wasn't there this morning. Any chance they were dust bathing? Or just overzealous in scratching in that area?

 

[neo71665]

Today I came home to this dirt spot in the run that wasn't there this morning. Any chance they were dust bathing? Or just overzealous in scratching in that area?

Age? Honestly just looks like young birds jumping off that roost.

 

[Ais]

Oh...
They are 9 weeks... just worried about mites and such if they aren't dust bathing...