Chicks rolling and flopping in the food

[SevenChix4Me]

My chicks are about 2 weeks old??? I'm guestimating because that's what I was told when i bought them but I bought them at a TSC. The employees looked like they were making it up as they went. SO no idea how old they really are. They all seem to be doing really well except today two of the chicks started doing dust bath type movements in their chick starter food. I've also seen them scratch their heads with their feet occasionally. Does this mean they have parasites? Can I give them something else to flop around in that would be safe for them and satisfy this need? Thanks for any info you can provide.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

What are you using for bedding. When mine were little they would do the dust bathing moves in the pine shavings. You could also use the type of feeder that they can only stick their heads into, to keep them from rolling in the food. And, finally, just because they scratch their heads does not mean they have parasites. Growing feathers is itchy business

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

They are doing what chickens do - it's instinct. Try giving them a small container of sand or loose soil to dustbathe in instead of their food. They are normal!

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Give them a dish or box with play sand. I used a large clay saucer from a flower pot. It's good for them to eat and they can dust bathe in it, too. Chicks come hardwired to dust bathe and if their chick crumbles is all they have, they will use them to do the job. They probably don't have parasites yet. I've heard that their feathers coming in is itchy.

 

[SIMPleChick]

They will dust bathe in anything they have, fluff, pine shavings, food, newspaper scraps, etc! Funny to watch, huh! And they scratch theit heads more when their new feathers come in to get that waxy coating off of them! Chickens will have flakes of that feather coating around their feathers too and cause a lot of feather dust so don't worry. It's normal!

 

[SevenChix4Me]

I have them in a big plastic bin for now. There is one layer of newspaper on the bottom and then the cat litter "yesterdays news" pellets on top of that for litter. It's made out of newspaper so I thought that would be safe for them. I put a tupperware dish of sand in with them. Thanks for the tip. I hope that makes them happier. I have been giving them other treats with their crumble and they are apparently very brave because they eat EVERYTHING. They've had oatmeal, grass, weed leafs, worms, ants, popcorn, cooked broccoli and cooked carrot. So far they love it all. Should I worry about feeding them too much?

 

[SevenChix4Me]

and is there any way to figure out how old they may actually be? I bought them on may 04th the last day of chick days at TSC

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Quote:
You don't have to be concerned about feeding them too much of their chick food, however, their treats should be a very small percentage of their overall food intake. Also, you want to make sure they have some chick grit for those treats, as well

 

[SevenChix4Me]

Does the play sand count as grit?

 

[SevenChix4Me]

These are my 6 new chicks.. ) They are supposedly Barred Rock Pullets but we'll see. I have read a lot of not so good things about TSC. I hope I don't have any roosters hiding in the midst.