Chicks digging in bedding?

[Ol Grey Mare]

Uh oh, I've noticed mine jumping up and flying at each other. A couple of mine are definitely alpha that way. Does that mean they've got a higher chance of being male? No roosters allowed in my town, so I'm hoping I won't end up w/ any

This behavior is normal chick behavior that occurs in both genders and is not indicative of the bird's sex.

 

[Kat C]

Even more fun if you set your eggs under a broody mom is to watch her dust bathe with the chicks. Dirt flies everywhere, over her, over the chicks, and they just love it and crowd around and imitate!
I wish we didn't have the word dirty or soiled in our vocabulary as something bad. Dirt is good, soil is good. "There are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on the earth." https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/SAG-16 And by and large they are beneficial. Raising chicks in a dirt floor pen pretty much means you don't have to do any cleaning. It just all gets mixed in and richer every year.
Wait until your chicks find bugs. I find that some love worms and some don't but all of them love the Japanese Beetle grubs. I tear them in half for younger chicks, but a bit older and oh what fun. Throw some grubs in and watch the chicks run....since they can't get them down in one gulp they have to put them down to work the grubs over. But that means another chick can grab it away. Its like watching bumper cars at the fair. Much better food for them than anything we offer.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Even more fun if you set your eggs under a broody mom is to watch her dust bathe with the chicks. Dirt flies everywhere, over her, over the chicks, and they just love it and crowd around and imitate!
I wish we didn't have the word dirty or soiled in our vocabulary as something bad. Dirt is good, soil is good. "There are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on the earth." https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/SAG-16 And by and large they are beneficial. Raising chicks in a dirt floor pen pretty much means you don't have to do any cleaning. It just all gets mixed in and richer every year.
Wait until your chicks find bugs. I find that some love worms and some don't but all of them love the Japanese Beetle grubs. I tear them in half for younger chicks, but a bit older and oh what fun. Throw some grubs in and watch the chicks run....since they can't get them down in one gulp they have to put them down to work the grubs over. But that means another chick can grab it away. Its like watching bumper cars at the fair. Much better food for them than anything we offer.

You get 1000 likes (alas I can only give you 1) for all of this!
Ah, yes, chicken keep away.....gotta love it.

 

[Kat C]

You get 1000 likes (alas I can only give you 1) for all of this!
Ah, yes, chicken keep away.....gotta love it.

Thanks!

 

[Aji Dulce]

Put a pan of dirt in there.... THAT is when the real fun begins. Hahaha

oh my, I can't even imagine that. Definitely would have to video the dirt party.

 

[Mulegirl]

I may try the pan of dirt before I change their bedding. Will video it for sure!

 

[Aji Dulce]

You get 1000 likes (alas I can only give you 1) for all of this!
Ah, yes, chicken keep away.....gotta love it.

Even more fun if you set your eggs under a broody mom is to watch her dust bathe with the chicks. Dirt flies everywhere, over her, over the chicks, and they just love it and crowd around and imitate!
I wish we didn't have the word dirty or soiled in our vocabulary as something bad. Dirt is good, soil is good. "There are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on the earth." https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/SAG-16 And by and large they are beneficial. Raising chicks in a dirt floor pen pretty much means you don't have to do any cleaning. It just all gets mixed in and richer every year.
Wait until your chicks find bugs. I find that some love worms and some don't but all of them love the Japanese Beetle grubs. I tear them in half for younger chicks, but a bit older and oh what fun. Throw some grubs in and watch the chicks run....since they can't get them down in one gulp they have to put them down to work the grubs over. But that means another chick can grab it away. Its like watching bumper cars at the fair. Much better food for them than anything we offer.

I know what you mean, dirt as in soil. I have never liked the term in gardening. You fill a pot with soil, not dirt. In Spanish, dirt only refers to filth, and when you're speaking of the bare ground, the term is tierra, earth. Too bad the other connotation developed in parallel. Similar to that, I learned about pasty vent, and now see it almost exclusively called pasty butt. And when was the last time you heard anyone saying chicken manure?

 

[hillbillyreefer]

Wait until they are all running around partying and carrying on and the next moment the brooder is dead silent. You go check and all the chicks are sprawled out having a nap, looking quite deceased. That was my first real mini heart attack moment!

 

[Aji Dulce]

I may try the pan of dirt before I change their bedding. Will video it for sure!

Wait until they are all running around partying and carrying on and the next moment the brooder is dead silent. You go check and all the chicks are sprawled out having a nap, looking quite deceased. That was my first real mini heart attack moment!

Yes! I was so shocked I thought my precious babes were deaddd

 

[Kat C]

I don't have any vids of our own chicks and mommas dust bathing together but here is a youtube of a chick taking a dirt bath. As the person notes it helps them keep off feather parasistes

And one of a mother and chicks - unfortunately this momma seems only to have concrete or gravel dust, not as nice as rich loamy soil