Chick eating pine shavings

[californiachick74]

Hello! By chance does anyone have this problem with their chicks. My 8 weeks old RIR LOVES eating the pine shavings....AHHHHH!!! Does anyone else have this problem and know why she is doing this? ANy suggestions of how to stop her? Is this bad for her?

 

[ridgefire]

Are they actually eating the shavings or pecking them? My week olds peck at the shavings but dont seem to eat them.

 

[gritsar]

The day I got my chicks I forgot to put paper towels over the pine shavings at first and then I realized that although the chicks would occasionally pick up a piece, they spit em back out. I'm using large flake shavings besides and they just don't seem interested in eating them.
Your chick is older. Perhaps she's bored? They naturally like to peck at things looking for something yummy to eat. Do you give her treats? Try some cheerios, some greens, or perhaps a nice, fat, juicy worm if you can find one. Remember though, when you start the treats you also have to start giving grit, unless you're providing that already.

 

[BradyMSU]

My chicks peck at the shavings too and it very much looks like they're eating them. But they aren't. The shavings aren't disappearing but plenty of their food is. For such little guys, they eat a lot! I've heard that it isn't good to give them greens the first few weeks because it causes diarrhea. Mine are just getting starter crumbles with a little bit of chick grit mixed in their feed.

 

[californiachick74]

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What is grit? LOL!! Im new to the chicken thing.

 

[californiachick74]

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She is actually eating them. My little hen has been sick and I have had her seperated from her siblings, haha, and I have witnessed her eating and swallowing the shavings. If they are in her food she will eat the shavings instead of the food. YIKES!!!

 

[gritsar]

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Grit is pebbles, sand, small stones that the chicken ingest to grind their food in their crop before it passes to their stomach. Chickens don't have teeth, so this is a necessity. It's not necessary when feeding chick starter exclusively. You can buy it at the feed store and sprinkle some on their food or offer it free choice in a seperate container.
It still sounds to me like your little hen is lonely and/or bored. At 8 weeks, she's probably ready for some treats; given in small quantities.

 

[californiachick74]

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Grit is pebbles, sand, small stones that the chicken ingest to grind their food in their crop before it passes to their stomach. Chickens don't have teeth, so this is a necessity. It's not necessary when feeding chick starter exclusively. You can buy it at the feed store and sprinkle some on their food or offer it free choice in a seperate container.
It still sounds to me like your little hen is lonely and/or bored. At 8 weeks, she's probably ready for some treats; given in small quantities.

Very possible that my chick is bored. She has been secluded from her siblings, haha, because she is recovering from crookneck. I currently am feeding her baby bird formula. She is recovery well. My problem is it is not safe to put her in a large area. I have her in a small box for her safety. I do take her out and visit with her mutliple times a day. She seems to really enjoy the socialization with me and my family as well I try and take her down to there new "condo" we built for them so she can visit her siblings.

Can you tell me what kind of treats you feed your hens? And do they need grit if they roam outside?

 

[gritsar]

californiachick,
I've tried linking to it before and it never worked, so go to the Feeding Time category and at the top you'll see a "sticky" thread started by Buff Hooligans with a link to her great treats chart.
Your hen is quite a bit older than my 10 day old chicks and so your options for treats is broader. The one thing my chicks do get and they adore is hard boiled egg. Some people have a problem with feeding it, saying it's cannibalistic, but it's really a great source of protein for chickens. Just chop it and let her eat a small amount. Never give raw eggs, lest your chickens develop a taste for their own eggs later on.
Once chickens are outside and can scratch around in the dirt some, they will find their own grit; but it's not a bad idea to still offer it some.
I want to add that I don't know anything about crookneck. You might want to ask around some before adding anything to her diet if she is having trouble swallowing?