Chicks scratching feet and wiping beaks

[angela56124]

Hi I'm Angela and I have 9 chicks and I have noticed that they have been scrathing their feet across the flat newspaper on the florr of their brooder, it looks like they are tring to did up dirt to take a bath. Should I put them in some dirt or bring them outside? Also they have been doing this less than the feet scratching but they sometimes wipe their beaks across the ground. I change they bedding(newspaper) everyday and they do it when it is clean and dirty, I really stumped.

Help please!

 

[lesterlu]

occasionaly, mine do, what looks to me like, the dust bath dance in their sleeping box that has pine shavings in it.

 

[Uzuri]

They LOVE to scratch -- it's the essence of chickenness

Nothing to worry about

How old are they, though? You may be able to take them off the paper and put them in shavings or pellets, both of which they'll actually be able to move when they scratch, which is even more fascinating to them

 

[lisahaschickens]

their behavior is totally normal - they are born knowing how to scratch and they wipe their beaks to keep them clean and filed. However, they should not be on newspaper because it is very slippery and can cause leg problems. All of my reading strongly recommends against it. I suggest you switch them to pine or white shavings, which they will love and can scratch to their hearts' content and it is perfectly safe and not slippery. Remember to avoid cedar shavings as the oils can make them ill. The most common and popular is pine or white shavings. Mine were on that from day one and it was super easy care - put a few inches down in their box and stir it now and again and you will only need to change it rarely - I changed it once in two weeks, and then mine moved out to the coop onto more shavings. They dry up the poop nicely and greatly help with the mess and smell. Good luck to you!