Do chicks take dust baths?

[congdon476]

I don't think I've found this anywhere in my reading yet (and I'm addicted to these boards)... but do I need to provide my chick brooder with a dusting area for baths? I don't know what age the birds will start this behavior.

 

[willowcol]

Mine try to in the wood chips is way to cute!

 

[Chix-in-GA]

My black marans chick loves to try to dust bathe in the wood chips also. Really very funny to watch. She will make a bowl in the chips and everything...

 

[HorseFeathers]

You bet! When they turned a few weeks old we put a pan (like a pie tin) of fine dirt, sand, and DE in their brooder. TOO CUTE!

 

[Dawn419]

Ours loved dust bathing in the wood shavings. They started at around a few weeks old. It was always a riot to watch them.

Here's 2 videos of one of the Mottled Cochin chicks going to town :


http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a78/TnWren/?action=view&current=Captured2007-6-1500000.flv

http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a78/TnWren/?action=view&current=Captured2007-6-1500001.flv



Enjoy!!!


Dawn

 

[DouglasPeeps]

No, you don't need to provide an area for them. They will just use the wood chips and "dust bathe". It is so fun to watch. Lots of "free" entertainment when raising chickens! Have fun!

 

[congdon476]

Thanks guys! And the little videos are a hoot. FREE is always a good thing in entertainment.

 

[Dawn419]

Here's one of the EE boys as a chick bathing under their hangin waterer:

http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a78/TnWren/?action=view&current=Captured2004-5-100006.flv

Once they were outside and older, they'll start sunbathing. First time I saw that I was pretty sure I had several dead chickens on my hands and went into panic mode. I walked into the run and all all jumped up at once. I thought I was gonna have a heart attack and they all just looked at me like, "And what's your problem!!!".

Dawn

 

[flakey chick]

We had little "outings" Sometimes we had short chaperoned field trips outside. Other times we kept them within the sunroom and provided them a big tub with dirt and uprooted grass.

 

[Rufflemyfeathers]

I live in Florida and lots of sand my pens have pine shavings and I sprinkled with DE and they dust themselves..they have this hole dug out under the hanging water too, fun to watch them..between the sand and De and pine shavings they are pretty dry in there pen.