D.B?!

[little chick-y baby mama]

um, what age do my chicks need a dust bath?

 

[warmth]

I think it's fine for them to go without one until they're outside and have one naturally- so around pullet/cockerel age (6-7 weeks). Correct me if I'm wrong, this is just how I go about doing it.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

Mine started trying to make their own at about 4 weeks?

 

[little chick-y baby mama]

I think it's fine for them to go without one until they're outside and have one naturally- so around pullet/cockerel age (6-7 weeks). Correct me if I'm wrong, this is just how I go about doing it.

I know I'm the one asking, but I thought t was three weeks, I was just confirming.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

I think they may "want" at 3-4 weeks. Not sure they "need" it though. Like they won't die or suffer if you wait until they are outdoors.

 

[warmth]

I know I'm the one asking, but I thought t was three weeks, I was just confirming.

My bad! I believe a chicken is a pullet/cockerel until about 20 weeks or so? So many varying answers online... I mainly meant when people typically put them outside- which I find is around 6-7 weeks ... but I could totally be wrong, seems everyone has their own way of doing it. I've always called mine chicks up until 6-7 weeks of age, not sure how accurate that is...force of habit!

Either way, like another person said- it's fine to go without one until they're just outside.

 

[wordgirl]

I'm not sure exactly how to define pullet/cockerel myself--I think of them as general terms denoting young poultry.

I feel a bit silly to admit it, but I don't ever deliberately give my chicks or adult hens a dust bath area, but when they are outside they will start to make them for themselves in the dirt. Sometimes they'll even bathe in fresh wood chip bedding. Unless your chicks have a big issue with external parasites (which is probably not the case), they are probably just fine with their bedding for now.

 

[CHlCKEN]

When they are feathered out, they will start to take more interest in those things. As of now, it’s isn’t really necessary.

 

[CHlCKEN]

My bad! I believe a chicken is a pullet/cockerel until about 20 weeks or so? So many varying answers online... I mainly meant when people typically put them outside- which I find is around 6-7 weeks ... but I could totally be wrong, seems everyone has their own way of doing it. I've always called mine chicks up until 6-7 weeks of age, not sure how accurate that is...force of habit!

Either way, like another person said- it's fine to go without one until they're just outside.

Usually until they are one year old.

 

[Coops Dad]

Mine will do a "dust bath" in the litter in their brooder at a week old. They go outside in an outdoor brooder on the ground at 3 weeks, then they can have the real thing.