Dust Bath for Chicks?

[cdombro76]

I have 6 chicks, about 2 weeks and change old, and growing so fast! They graduated from a brooder storage tote to an extra large wire dog crate as they were a bit cramped in the tote. One has started to do a dust bath in the pine shavings and boy is it cute. Question is: should I be giving them some sand in a dish to be a real dust bath for them? I'm in Wisconsin so it will be a bit before they are outside at all, and even so the ground is so wet yet. Hoping weather will cooperate in the coming 2 weeks for some trips out to start introducing them but in the mean time, do I give them something in the crate?

 

[SilverBirds]

I like to fill a pan of dirt from outside and put it into the brooder (in the cases I'm brooding indoors). It helps get them some grit, build immunity, and is enriching.

 

[Ridgerunner]

should I be giving them some sand in a dish to be a real dust bath for them?

You can do whatever you want. People do it both ways and their chicks grow up to be chickens either way. Looking at photos of brooders on this forum my guess is that most of us do not provide sand or dirt for dustbathing but some do.

I provide enough dirt for them to eat to give them grit and help start strengthening their immune system but not enough to take a dust bath.

 

[sscaria]

I have 6 chicks, about 2 weeks and change old, and growing so fast! They graduated from a brooder storage tote to an extra large wire dog crate as they were a bit cramped in the tote. One has started to do a dust bath in the pine shavings and boy is it cute. Question is: should I be giving them some sand in a dish to be a real dust bath for them? I'm in Wisconsin so it will be a bit before they are outside at all, and even so the ground is so wet yet. Hoping weather will cooperate in the coming 2 weeks for some trips out to start introducing them but in the mean time, do I give them something in the crate?

i think you can add in a small space with a dish of sand or dirt for them to dirt dance- it's good for them!!

 

[PhantomSlayer]

Thank you for reminding me XD We have our first chicks now 4 of them seem to be older than a week maybe two compared to the other 8. I heard giving them dust baths from your yard will help build immunity but I forgot since I was adoring how cute the chicks were in general lol. We've had wet/snowy weather lately so I just didn't think of it. Its raining today but I can let it dry out before I give it to them. So thank you for reminding me to gather it!

 

[aynesidea]

I like to fill a pan of dirt from outside and put it into the brooder (in the cases I'm brooding indoors). It helps get them some grit, build immunity, and is enriching.

My dirt was too wet, so I used peat moss, worked great, saw it on BYC.

 

[cdombro76]

I gave them some sand adn holy smokes they LOVE it. I'm in Wisc so its a bit wet to get dirt from outside yet but will add that as soon as I can. Messy birds!!! They LOVE flinging the sand everywhere loll

 

[PhantomSlayer]

We had a sunny day but semi cold windy day where I gathered up sand and let it sit a container with some frequent stirring to dry it up and then letting it warm up a bit inside before i gave it to them. They decided to eat it rather than playing in it I'll be trying again soon though maybe with luck theyll actually decide to play rather than just eat it lol

 

[Happy hen lover]

Here's my chicks in their bath last spring, it was intended as a solo bath....... but they're chickens after all . loli

It was a dirt but I did offer chick grit also.

 

[Wanderingturtles]

I have 6 chicks, about 2 weeks and change old, and growing so fast! They graduated from a brooder storage tote to an extra large wire dog crate as they were a bit cramped in the tote. One has started to do a dust bath in the pine shavings and boy is it cute. Question is: should I be giving them some sand in a dish to be a real dust bath for them? I'm in Wisconsin so it will be a bit before they are outside at all, and even so the ground is so wet yet. Hoping weather will cooperate in the coming 2 weeks for some trips out to start introducing them but in the mean time, do I give them something in the crate?

I’m planning on doing this too… All the snow is melting fast but the dirt is still wet. I’ve been taking scoops of the wet sand/dirt from my yard putting it on the tray to dry and collecting to give to my five week old chicks/chickens while they’re still in their brooder. thinking about mixing some fireplace ashes into the dirt as well. I should have enough by today or tomorrow depending on how fast the sun dries the dirt.