Chick toys...

[IggiMom]

I have three little chicks just a few days old, and I thought perhaps they would get bored just cheeping around in their box (which is right next to me as I type) and I wondered what others do to add interest to their lives.

I changed their litter to hay, which is sort of like a jungle gym for tiny chicks. Then this morning I gave them a few grains of rice on top of their food (cooked rice) and that made a big hit. They would pick it up and run all over with it.

What do others do?

Oh--and I had one chick in the incubator and it was all dried out so I took it out. I am very much afraid that it is an only child, oh well, and I put her in with the other three and she fits right in and is running around and cheeping with them.

My little Italian Greyhounds have been interestedly looking in there which probably adds interest to their lives, but i do watch to make sure they do not decide the chicks are chicken McNuggets. They know very well that playing with the tiny babies is not allowed but you never know so I watch them.

Catherine

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

I kno wthis may sound really cruel and mean but I throw in moths in their box. The grab it and run and fight over it.

 

[cmjust0]

Quote:
I do the same thing. Moths, skeeters..I even put a small earthworm in there once.

Our brooder is in a mudroom off the house, so I'll occasionally turn off all the lights out there except the brooder light and leave the door cracked...then just walk away.

After a few minutes you start to hear the chicks really moving and squawking as the bugs start making their way to the brooder light.

Poor bugs.

(

)

The chicks love it, though.

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

I love to feed mine roly-polys. We have them all over the place and they love them! One will grab the bug and all the others will chase it across the brooder. It's like watching some type of sport.

 

[IggiMom]

Oh, that's a good idea! I can't put my little box brooder where a bunch of bugs would fly in, BUT I think i could find some roly polys!

Thanks!

You know, they do seem to be a particularly happy little bunch of chicks.

I wonder why.

Catherine

 

[chicken_china_mom]

I let my chicks out of their brooders to play every day since they don't have their coop yet, and they run like little madmen all over my bathroom. One day they found a hairtie my daughter had dropped by accident, more like one of those circular ponytail holders, and before I could grab it, one of the chicks grabbed a hold of it and ran with it. IT quickly became a game of keep away. They made no attempt to eat it, just to try and keep it away from one another. They found the q-tips on a too low shelf in there too and stole a couple. Those also became keep away toys. They have pulled hand towels down too and they kick the towel around looking for food underneath. My SLW roo's favorite thing to do is to hop up onto my knee and sit and watch me taking pictures. He likes to watch the pictures as they pop up on the screen. When they come onto the desk with me they like to chase the cursor as it moves across the computer screen. As I type this I have my two mallard ducklings sitting on the desk in front of me covering each other up with a paper towel. They pick it up and cover the other bird up with it, then the covered bird complains and comes out from under it, and returns the favor. Silly duckies. As time goes on I will find new safe ways for my birds to play. I'm sure it can boring for them inside of a brooder box all day!

 

[astylishgirl]

This is a hoot. Can't wait to hear more ideas!

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

How fun to watch!!!

Happy, healthy little chicks playing!!!

 

[sheeshshe]

leaves!!! they love it! and they've been chasing each other around after a leaf LOL! its so funny!

 

[MoodyChicken]

I put a paper bowl in their brooder. I cut a hole in it so it makes a hut. They love to jump on top of it and hide inside. Also, draw a few dots on their brooder wall, that will keep them amused for hours. lol Bugs will cause mass hysteria followed by football. haha. They like to carry large feathers sometimes and try to steal and eat it. Spaghetti noodles are a big hit too.