Cold Weather Concerns, Dirty Chicks

[Allyluvschicks]

My chicks are 4 Months old. It has been -1 to 15 degrees this week. The chicks are doing OK, but are really getting dirty from spending so much time in their coop. What are some good ideas for helping them stay clean.

 

[cavemanrich]

If you can, then provide them with a means of getting a dust bath. All depends on the size of your coop. I have had my chick crawl into large unused at the time flower pots and dust themselves in them. They prefer potting soil to just straight sand. Don t know why. Give it a try. BEST TO YOU.

 

[donrae]

Let them out.

There are tons of threads about letting birds out in the cold temps. Confining them leads to mental and physical health issues.

 

[Allyluvschicks]

They can go out, but at -20 degrees with windchill, they are staying in a lot. It is going to be warmer next week, just looking for ideas such as the dust bath.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Agree with both posters thus far....let them out...but as you said the silly birds WILL stay in when they don't want to brave the chill. (Mine absolutely HATE the snow.)

One word of warning on potting soil...make sure it does not contain any fertilizer beads or chemical additives in it as some do...that would NOT be healthy for your birds.

A really cheap source of dusting material, if you have one, is your fireplace ash...mine love to dust themselves with that and it is a very effective deterrent for the mites/lice...also add in some Sevin or Poultry Dust powder to boost the cleaning effect as cooped birds can get an overload quickly.

Then hopefully they'll go out and dust and play in the yard when the weather is better...I've actually had to buy a little "kiddie pool" (on sale CHEAP at the end of summer) as in my rainy Oregon, the availability of dust can be slim to none in our endless rain....I placed it under an awning of the shed...the girls line up and have dust parties now. I fill it with soil, ash, and sprinkle some Sevin in it. That has really help keep down the feather pests.

Lady of McCamley