Enrichment for baby chicks??

[leolass]

Hi,
does anyone use little items in the brooder for the baby chicks? I was browsing the web and came across some sites where they put little things in the brooder to help the chicks have some fun, perches, small balls, swings etc. I saw one thing I really liked so I made it. Some feathers wrapped around the heating plate to make them think it is mumma hen.
What do others do or is your thing plane and simple to get the job done?

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[NatJ]

I tend to go for the same things I would offer adult chickens, and let the chicks practice the same skills they will use as adults:

Lots of space
Things to scratch in (bedding, clods of dirt, and so forth)
Things to sit on (pieces of board or bricks or anything else handy)
When feasible, trips to the outdoors or access to an outdoor yard, depending on the season and the weather

So the chicks can run around, and they can practice jumping and flying and foraging and dustbathing. For "bedding," I like to give anything that happens to be handy, so they get some variety: wood chips, dry leaves, hay, straw, maybe shredded paper, basically anything dry that can be put in the compost pile later.

Chicks tend to love wet mash (chick starter + water), so if I give a little bit each day they will come running to get it. All the fun of treats, and no worries about nutrition! Also can be used to teach them to come when called.

 

[kattabelly]

I just give them stuff to perch on and to learn to navigate over/under/around/through obstacles. Different height wooden perches, tree branches, cardboard boxes, anything else I have lying around that can either be cleaned or composted after it's covered in poo... At least one thing big enough that they can't see what's on the other side of it.

I start taking them outdoors at around two days old, so that does a lot for enrichment, but they get an indoor dust bath and lumps of turf to dig through as well.

 

[NatJ]

anything else I have lying around that can either be cleaned or composted after it's covered in poo

Good point: yes, it will definitely be covered in poo!

 

[AnneGirlGG]

I do all of what @NatJ mentioned. I have a hunk of grass and dirt from the yard for them to scratch and dust bathe on. Bonus points because it exposes them to whatever is in the soil to build immunity.

They have 2 chick sized roosting bars that they love. I also have also cat toys. Like the little plastic balls with bells inside, nothing they could chew small pieces off of. As they get bigger, I'll put an upside down terra cotta flower pot in the brooder and put a stick sideways in the drainage hole. It makes a fun perch.

I don't have a chick swing, but in the coop we do have a swing for bigger chickens, and one of mine is on that thing all the time. She loves it.

 

[kattabelly]

Good point: yes, it will definitely be covered in poo!

They really don't need "peopley" stuff but I picked up a few plastic kids toys for pennies that I sometimes chuck in just to add variety and because they're easy to scrub clean after. And because watching a day-old-chick captaining a little plastic boat is always funny

 

[kattabelly]

This is a fun game and good for learning about having to go around things even when you can see through them. The lid of one of those clear plastic storage boxes works well too - or even the box laid on its side (those also make good windbreaks for trips outside and warm up a bit like a greenhouse in the sun)