Chicks First Trip Outside - Stressful

[Thyme4Chickens]

Cutie pies!!!! What breed is that darling with the white and black face? (looking up at the camera)

To echo the advice given: I use a cardboard box on it's side (with scrap lumber inside to keep it from blowing over in the wind!). Great place to hide or get out of the sun.

Also, I'd read that a lot of folks here dig up a plug of soil for their chicks (from where the coop/run will be) so that they have the fun of digging around in it, eating grass and bugs, and also to get them exposed to the soil bacteria in their future home. I used a large old tupperware tray and laid the soil plug on it's side so that the chicks can get to the grass and the soil/roots. My chicks love this!

Offer grit when doing this - I had a little container of grit in the brooder, and sprinkled some on top of the soil, too.

 

[monicastross]

Cutie pies!!!! What breed is that darling with the white and black face? (looking up at the camera)

To echo the advice given: I use a cardboard box on it's side (with scrap lumber inside to keep it from blowing over in the wind!). Great place to hide or get out of the sun.

Also, I'd read that a lot of folks here dig up a plug of soil for their chicks (from where the coop/run will be) so that they have the fun of digging around in it, eating grass and bugs, and also to get them exposed to the soil bacteria in their future home. I used a large old tupperware tray and laid the soil plug on it's side so that the chicks can get to the grass and the soil/roots. My chicks love this!

Offer grit when doing this - I had a little container of grit in the brooder, and sprinkled some on top of the soil, too.

Another great idea! Thank you! I started offering chick grit as soon as I got the chick stick. And that little cutie is Wren, an Americana and I'm pretty sure to be the alpha hen. She's absolutely a hoot. So is her Americana sister, Hanna, who is my profile picture. She's my little selfie queen <3

2 - Americanas, Wren and Hanna
2 - Buff Orpingtons, Avery and Amelia
2 - Silkies, Sophie (buff) and Sadie (black)