entertainment for the chicks

[TLWR]

They've been with me just over a week so I'm guessing they will be 2 weeks old tomorrow or so.
Still cold at night and cooler during the day and I'll be away until dark most days this week (ok, we'll just say all days and if I'm home soon enough to see the ducks in daylight we'll call it a good day).
So the chicks are still inside in their brooder.
Put a branch in today when we set up the new bigger brooder.
What else can I put in there to keep them entertained. They are on sand, have a branch and food/water up on a brick.

 

[redsoxs]

Maybe some dried meal worms!

 

[aggiemae]

I wouldn't feed them anything but chick food and maybe a spoon of yogurt or buttermilk every few days but if they do eat anything else you will need to give them grit

They really seem to like jumping up on things then down again so I add sticks and a few bricks and a perch that is just high enough for them to run under it. Last year we only has six chicks and my kids put some dollhouse furniture in and I admit it was pretty entertaining. but this year we have eight chicks and might get crowed so we'll see. Young chicks seem to do a pretty good job of entertaining each other by chasing and jumping.

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
One "treat" you can make for your chicks is sprouted oats. The chicks love them and they are great for them. Feed the 4-7 day old sprouted sprouts as green feed.
See the BYC thread : https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/425134/anybody-raise-sprouts-to-feed-the-chickens
Pages 23 thru 29 for the hows and science behind this.
Best,
Karen

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Not true, chicks don't need grit to help them digest their egg yolk (or even yolk from a hard boiled egg for that matter) or their crumbles. The yolk sac isn't even eaten by them, its absorbed. The crumbles were ground to almost powder and wetted to form the crumble shape. If you get them wet, you'll notice they turn to mush, the same thing happens inside the chicks when they ingest them. They don't need to be "chewed" so the grit is unnecessary.
OP- scrambled or boiled and smashed eggs are a great treat for babies. As is yogurt. Neither require grit. If you're feeding insect or fruits/veggies (which I don't feed until older) provide grit
Nikki

 

[mwdudley]

Hi newbie here I been feed my new chicks the grit , I've been sprinkling it on there food crumble , should I stop or will not hurt them ?

 

[3riverschick]

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