Dust bath for 4 day old chicks

[Fontaine]

I mixed sand from our Florida soil with peat moss and added a very small amount of “100% natural hardwood charcoal. ( I couldn’t find wood ash and reading said charcoal ok substitute). So 2 questions please help. First the charcoal is very tiny pieces, but not dust. One chicken had a piece and I’m sure she was going to eat it, not bathe in it. I took it away and picked out all the charcoal. ? Is this safe? Next the chicks had a great time pecking ? Eating? The sand mixture. No bathing was going on. I took it away until I heard from you “ experts ! Is the charcoal good and can they eat all that sand? They are eating their chick food non stop until then. Thanks so much!!

 

[RainbowHen]

They are collecting grit. Not sure about the charcoal but so long as it is natural no chemicals it won't hurt them.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Little chicks need grit and they are getting it from the sand! That is why they eat it. It won't hurt them, so let them have it. I always put a box of dirt and sand mix in the brooder. I don't have any experience with charcoal, but unless they are not eating chick food and just sand and charcoal I wouldn't think it would hurt them either. Maybe someone else will chime in????

 

[Parront]

I mixed sand from our Florida soil with peat moss and added a very small amount of “100% natural hardwood charcoal. ( I couldn’t find wood ash and reading said charcoal ok substitute). So 2 questions please help. First the charcoal is very tiny pieces, but not dust. One chicken had a piece and I’m sure she was going to eat it, not bathe in it. I took it away and picked out all the charcoal. ? Is this safe? Next the chicks had a great time pecking ? Eating? The sand mixture. No bathing was going on. I took it away until I heard from you “ experts ! Is the charcoal good and can they eat all that sand? They are eating their chick food non stop until then. Thanks so much!!

Probably right to take the sand away if it looked like they were eating too much of it.

 

[Parront]

Little chicks need grit and they are getting it from the sand! That is why they eat it. It won't hurt them, so let them have it. I always put a box of dirt and sand mix in the brooder. I don't have any experience with charcoal, but unless they are not eating chick food and just sand and charcoal I wouldn't think it would hurt them either. Maybe someone else will chime in????

I do give chicks dirt and grass from the yard that young. they peck the dirt that is on the grass roots and eat a lot of the roots, too. I would worry about very young chicks with a large bowl of sand that they could over-eat. I figure the specks of sand from our sandy dirt on the roots is self limiting. I have seen they "bathe' in the grass clippings and grass with dirt clumps. When it is hot here, cool damp dirt is very attractive!

 

[Fontaine]

They are collecting grit. Not sure about the charcoal but so long as it is natural no chemicals it won't hurt them.

Thanks and we made sure it came from a natural area on our property, ie no fertilizer etc

 

[Fontaine]

I do give chicks dirt and grass from the yard that young. they peck the dirt that is on the grass roots and eat a lot of the roots, too. I would worry about very young chicks with a large bowl of sand that they could over-eat. I figure the specks of sand from our sandy dirt on the roots is self limiting. I have seen they "bathe' in the grass clippings and grass with dirt clumps. When it is hot here, cool damp dirt is very attractive!

I’ll do that with the grass. I thought they needed dust baths for mites etc that’s why I put in the sand. Maybe they are too young?

 

[Parront]

I’ll do that with the grass. I thought they needed dust baths for mites etc that’s why I put in the sand. Maybe they are too young?

They will not have mites this young, those problems usually come from exposure to wild birds. They know how to dust bathe that young, I have seen them do it in their food as soon as they got out of the shipping box! I give them food on a large flat paper plate at first so they can stand in it and find it easier.