Chicken bath?

[newchickiefarmer]

I forgot I had another question...my chickies are still in the pen awaiting their coop (they're 3 weeks old). is it a good idea to put a little water in the bathtub and let them splash around a little? (i know, clean out the bathtub thoroughly so no soapy residue is in there). or do chickens not like that so much? I just thought it might be some fun for them since their just hanging out in a pen right now. Thanks guys!

 

[keljonma]

Ducks swim, Chickens drown. Wet, chilled chicks can die.

If you want to bath them to clean them up, like you would a show chicken, you would bath and dry them right away. Chickens take dust baths to clean themselves. Provide a little box of sand and they'll bathe themselves.

 

[Chirpy]

keljonma is right on. Chicks can and do drown even in their waterers when they are little. Many people actually put marbles or stones in the waterers so that the chicks can't fall in but can get water out to drink.

Chickens love dust bathing! Give them sand, clean dirt, even pine shavings and they will roll around and toss it in the air and have a wonderful time.

 

[newchickiefarmer]

whew! good thing i didn't do it then...and you guys were right! i cleaned out their pen last night and put new pine shavings in and they were having a blast! so cute!!