When my girls were in the brooder, at about 3-4 weeks old, i would dig out a hunk of lawn/sod and put it in brooder. They loved pecking and scratching it, sometimes finding a bug and going nuts! Make sure that any grass you give them is very short pieces. They get the grit from the sod. Hubby got mad there are random holes all over our yard tho! My girls are 10 wks now. Good luck Jen
Remind him that it's less to mow.
My pullets will be 2 months old tomorrow.
Hi, I was reading through pertinent threads as I have qty.9 ~3+ week old Brown Leghorns. I converted an extra large dog crate to serve as a brooder box using 1/2" hardware cloth. Should I put a stick or something for them to climb on in the crate? I do know they live to scratch around in the bedding! I put 3 inches of bedding in the crate and they go crazy flinging it around!! Any other suggestions? Thanks!!You're welcome! I usually wait a week before giving them anything else, just because they are so fragile at first. The pics in the brooder have some 4 week old bantam chicks and 2 week old Easter eggers. They love to hop around on the wood and things. We pull up handfuls of grass every few days or so for them. They'll eat some, cover it up, and find it later! Lol. The pics in the grass are our 4 week old chicks. As soon as they don't need supplemental heat they are ready to go outside!
And depending on where you live that could be very soon! Day old chicks need 95-100 degrees to start, then decrease 5 degrees every week until they can be at room temp. Our outside Temps are pretty much heat lamp level right now!
I don't have our younger chicks out right now just because we don't have the room, we have to wait until other chicks grow up enough to go to the main pen.
Mine seem to like frozen peas and the baby cakes from tractor supply.
Hope this helps!! Let me know if you have any more questions!
Is that live or dead mealworms? We have some great pet stores here that I can get live meal worms, super worms, wax worms ect. (My pet dragon loves them)
I think they would love a few sticks and maybe a rock to climb on! I get some small sticks and poke them thru the corner of the cage to serve as a small roost and they use it all the time! Not sure if you can see in the pic but hopefully it explains it a bit betterHi, I was reading through pertinent threads as I have qty.9 ~3+ week old Brown Leghorns. I converted an extra large dog crate to serve as a brooder box using 1/2" hardware cloth. Should I put a stick or something for them to climb on in the crate? I do know they live to scratch around in the bedding! I put 3 inches of bedding in the crate and they go crazy flinging it around!! Any other suggestions? Thanks!!
That's 10 weeks old? Oh man! I need to get started on their coop and yard now!! If that's the case...
Yes, they do grow fast.That's 10 weeks old? Oh man! I need to get started on their coop and yard now!! If that's the case...
Nice! I'm going to have to find some good sticks now! Thanks! I think I'll grab a dozen live mealies and see what they do.. lolI think they would love a few sticks and maybe a rock to climb on! I get some small sticks and poke them thru the corner of the cage to serve as a small roost and they use it all the time! Not sure if you can see in the pic but hopefully it explains it a bit better
I've only used dried meal worms but I'm sure they would love "hunting" live ones for a small treat!
