Dusting Baby Chic's

[MeeMee Kay]

Baby chic dusting, my babies are 9days old, should I start them dusting, and is Diatomaceous Earth ok to use? I found the information on how to: on Progressive Plant, Via, Google. Please need help with this.

 

[Rurumo]

I would avoid diatomaceous earth while they are young, it can be quite bad for their lungs, and you don't want it inside your house if you are brooding inside. Some people start to put a little bit of dirt from outside in the brooder so they can pick in it and start to get exposed to the local outside organisms, but read up on coccidiosis because basically all chicks are exposed to it once they play in outside dirt. Good luck with your chicks!!

 

[MeeMee Kay]

I would avoid diatomaceous earth while they are young, it can be quite bad for their lungs, and you don't want it inside your house if you are brooding inside. Some people start to put a little bit of dirt from outside in the brooder so they can pick in it and start to get exposed to the local outside organisms, but read up on coccidiosis because basically all chicks are exposed to it once they play in outside dirt. Good luck with your chicks!!

Thanks so much for that info, basically what I was thinking, But being new to this, wanted to double check.. thanks.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I take mine outside on little field trips once the weather permits. I never put anything in the brooder for dusting.

 

[Beccichka]

I take mine outside on little field trips once the weather permits. I never put anything in the brooder for dusting.

Until what age? Mine are 5 days old and are brooding inside. They won't go outside for at least 6 weeks as it's too cold. At what age do they need dust? I have one RIR that is dust bathing in the wood chips we just added to the brooder today

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Until what age? Mine are 5 days old and are brooding inside. They won't go outside for at least 6 weeks as it's too cold. At what age do they need dust? I have one RIR that is dust bathing in the wood chips we just added to the brooder today

When they start getting feathers they start going outside for about an hour at a time. By four weeks they are out of the garage and into their own little grow-out coop. Where are you located?

 

[Beccichka]

When they start getting feathers they start going outside for about an hour at a time. By four weeks they are out of the garage and into their own little grow-out coop. Where are you located?

We currently have daytime highs of 30-45. Nice freezes. By 4 weeks daytime highs might be near 50.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

We currently have daytime highs of 30-45. Nice freezes. By 4 weeks daytime highs might be near 50.

That is fine for a short adventure outside. Watch them and if they're huddled together bring them back in but my guess is for the first 20 minutes or so they will be so excited they won't care what the weather is like.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They don't need to dust bathe as babies (but you may find them rolling in their food or in the litter) but you can provide one if you wish. A pan of dirt from your yard, preferably from the coop/run location, is ideal to introduce them to some of the microbes and bacteria present in the environment.