Dirt for baby chicks

[Saraschickens]

Hi, I know you can give young chicks a plug of dirt from your yard to increase their immune system and introduce gut flora. But I know it's a small window and when they're quite young.
I'm checking if I missed my window.
I had a batch of chicks born under hens, and brought in as they hatched. They turn 2 weeks old tomorrow (and a few stragglers the next 2 days). And then a batch hatched from my incubator and they turned 1 week old today.
Can I still give them dirt from my yard?
And if so, should it be closer to my chicken coops or farther?
Thank you!

 

[Saraschickens]

They are all together in the same brooder.

 

[Backyardhomestead921]

Well think of it this way, momma hens take there chicks outside before they are even a week old. So I would encourage giving them dirt/grass from a supper young age.

 

[Ridgerunner]

But I know it's a small window and when they're quite young.
I'm checking if I missed my window.

Where did you get this information? It sounds like you are talking about certain vaccinations, not exposing them to certain things with the dirt.

Can I still give them dirt from my yard?

Yes. The benefits I see in giving them dirt is to get grit in their system, exposed them to any diseases or parasites they may need to start working on to strengthen their immune system, and get probiotics from the adults in your flock into your chicks. I start on Day 2 or 3 of them being in the brooder and give them some more every three of four days to give them a steady supply. Even if you start later they still get benefits.

And if so, should it be closer to my chicken coops or farther?

I take dirt from the main run where they like to hang out and dust bathe. That way I expose them to anything their immune system may need to start working on and get probiotics into their system. If you take the dirt from areas the chickens do not frequent you do not get these benefits.

To be clear, I want the dirt to come from an area the adults occasionally poop. I do not want large quantities of poop but the poop is where you get the benefits. It doesn't take much.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Not sure if there's a "window" for chicks with dirt (just never heard of it, personally. Not saying it isn't a thing)

I know there is a critical time when newborn mammals need colostrum.

I'm wondering if where you got your info was thinking of that, and attributed it to chickens?

 

[Saraschickens]

All this information is amazing! Thank you so much everyone!
The "window" I'm referring to, is something I read about their immune systems being the strongest in the first 2 weeks of life, being that the mom would take them into the run/yard where they would come into contact with everything. And then dwindling off after 2 weeks where their immune system lowers. I'd heard that you give them dirt something like 48 hours old up to 2 weeks and then you've missed it, "the window" and have to wait until... something like feathered out and going outside. I've heard someone say it here too, when asking about what age to give dirt. I had bought 6 week old chicks and asked about giving dirt and they told me it wouldn't matter because I had missed the window to do it.
But hearing everyone here makes me happy that I can still do it! I'll put some in there now!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Likely the immune response is stronger when they're younger but at 2 weeks I'd still try it, just have Corid on hand just in case.

 

[Saraschickens]

Likely the immune response is stronger when they're younger but at 2 weeks I'd still try it, just have Corid on hand just in case.

I do have Corid on hand. If it were to go bad, how soon after dirt could I see coccidiosis and what would it look like in chicks? And how fast would it progress?
Thank you.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I do have Corid on hand. If it were to go bad, how soon after dirt could I see coccidiosis and what would it look like in chicks? And how fast would it progress?
Thank you.

Not sure on incubation time to cause problems, my guess would be somewhere around 1-2 weeks. Main things to look for would be noticeably red or red-orange bloody poops and most importantly, lethargy (chicks being puffed up and tired for no reason).

 

[Ridgerunner]

The "window" I'm referring to, is something I read about their immune systems being the strongest in the first 2 weeks of life

I've heard that too, but I don't recall ever hearing it from a poultry science specialist that would know what they are talking about. I understand about first milk with mammals but chickens are not mammals and the inside of an egg is not " special milk" (colostrum) straight from the mother that gets altered later.

I'm not a poultry science specialist but it makes no sense to me why you would be better off waiting any longer to start working on immunities. If they are raised by a broody hen they will get that stuff immediately from her. In a brooder they will not start working on immunities until they are exposed to it. I want mine exposed while it is still easy to observe them, not because they are stronger in developing immunity. It is easier to keep the brooder dry than the run if they are on the ground and the weather sets in wet.

I do have Corid on hand. If it were to go bad, how soon after dirt could I see coccidiosis and what would it look like in chicks? And how fast would it progress?

I'm going to copy something I wrote several years ago about Coccidiosis and medicated feed. It was written in response to different questions but it might help your understanding of Coccidiosis.

In response to your questions if you keep conditions dry so the bug that causes the problems does not multiply to great numbers you have a decent chance of never seeing any symptoms. Once the bug is introduced the chicks start developing immunity to it. So you are in a race between them developing immunity in two to three weeks or of the numbers growing so large they get sick.

As to symptoms, only some show bloody poop. A lot do not. What you are looking for is them standing around puffed up and lethargic. They don't feel good and they show it.


First you need to know what the "medicated" is in the medicated feed. It should be on the label. Usually it is Amprolium, Amprol, some such product, but until you read the label, you really don't know. Most "medicated' feed from major brands for chicks that will be layers uses Amprolium, but there are a few out there mostly for broilers, that use other medicines. I'll assume yours is an Amprolium product, but if it is not, then realize everything I say about it may not apply. And it is possible that the "medicated" is Amprolium AND something else.

Amprolium is not an antibiotic. It does not kill anything. It inhibits the protozoa that cause coccidiosis (often called Cocci on this forum) from multiplying in the chicken's system. It does not prevent the protozoa from multiplying; it just slows that multiplication down. There are several different strains of protozoa that can cause Cocci, some more severe than others. Chickens can develop immunity to a specific strain of the protozoa, but that does not give them immunity to all protozoa that cause Cocci.

It is not a big deal for the chicken’s intestines to contain some of the protozoa that cause Cocci. The problem comes in when the number of those protozoa gets huge. The protozoa can multiply in the chicken’s intestines but also in wet manure. For them to reproduce they need some moisture. Slightly damp isn't an issue, soaking wet is. Different protozoa strains have different strengths, but for almost all cases, if you keep the brooder dry, you will not have a problem.

To develop immunity to a specific strain, that protozoa needs to be in the chicks intestines for two or three weeks. The normal sequence is that a chick has the protozoa. It poops and some of the cysts that develop the protozoa come out in the poop. If the poop is slightly damp, those cysts develop and will then develop in the chick's intestines when the chicks eat that poop. This cycle needs go on for a few weeks so all chicks are exposed and they are exposed long enough to develop immunity. A couple of important points here. You do need to watch them to see if they are getting sick. And the key is to keep the brooder dry yet allow some of the poop to stay damp. Not soaking wet, just barely damp. Wet poop can lead to serious problems.

What sometimes happens is that people keep chicks in a brooder and feed them medicated feed while they are in the brooder. Those chicks are never exposed to the Cocci protozoa that lives in the dirt in their run, so they never develop the immunity to it. Then, they are switched to non-medicated feed and put on the ground where they are for the first time exposed to the protozoa. They do not have immunity, they do not have the protection of the medicated feed, so they get sick. Feeding medicated feed while in the brooder was a complete waste.

I do not feed medicated feed. I keep the brooder dry to not allow the protozoa to breed uncontrollably. The third day that they are in the brooder, I take a scoop of dirt from the run and feed it to them so I can introduce the protozoa and they can develop the immunity they need to the strain they need to develop an immunity to. Since I keep my brooder extremely dry and the water clean the protozoa can't reproduce so every three days I give them more dirt from the run so they get more protozoa and can develop immunity. I don't lose chicks to Cocci when they hit the ground.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with feeding medicated feed to chicks, whether the protozoa are present or not. It will not hurt them. They can still develop the immunity they need. But unless the protozoa are present, it also does no good.

If you get your chicks vaccinated for Cocci, do not feed medicated feed. It can negate the vaccinations.