Chickie roost?

[Justanother Brooke]

So the chicks are 1 week old tomorrow (Wednesday), and are trying to roost on their feeder and on the block of wood I have their water on. Is it too early to put a little roost in the brooder for them? I have a nice piece of 1x2 left over from when I built the lid for the brooder, and think I could make one from that.
Thanks!

 

[Momagain1]

I am OBVIOUSLY NO EXPERT; but if I am remembering right; you should have something for them in there...
please correct me if I'm wrong..please!!

As my chicks will be here next wk...

 

[Country Heart]

It's never too early to give them a nice roost - 1x2 sounds perfect. Soon they might also appreciate a small "dirt bath" - I always start mine out with a small box of sand. It does not take them long to figure it out.

 

[fargosmom]

I've got chicks ranging from a few days to about 4 weeks old right now . . . the oldest ones have a variety of things to roost on but I'd never thought of a dirt bath. Any other ideas? I don't want to put them out in the yard just yet because my only natural "dirt" is right outside my coop, and I'm not sure it's a good idea to expose them to the grown-up chickens' area just yet. I don't want anyone getting sick - am I too paranoid?
But more importantly - help me enrich the chickies' inside lifestyles!

 

[Country Heart]

I think you are right on not wanting to expose them when they are so young to the real dirt - that's why a clean sand bath works so well. Another thing I like to do to keep the little ones entertained is get some tiny crickets for them. Once they figure out what to do with them, they have fun chasing them around the brooder.

 

[Pascal PicklePants]

Quote:
I'm reasonable new at this, so take it with a grain of salt, but I put a dish with some outside dirt in the brooder with my 2 week olds. That is how they build their immune systems after all. Mine are on medicated feed so I want them to be exposed to small amounts of pathogens. Besides, they love it....eat it, bathe in it.

 

[classicsredone]

I have a LOT of rose bushes, and this year I saved the stronger canes and trimmed off the thorns. I'll use some of it for making bean trellises, but I put two of the canes in the brooder. My Hamburgs could care less, but I find the Barred Rocks sleeping on them.