Introduction to dust bath

[Msmagic]

Hello! Curious what your thoughts are as I've read mixed things. Is there a certain age baby chicks need to be before introducing a dast bath station for them? I've heard as early as 2 days old all the way up to 6 weeks..

Thanks so much!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hello! Curious what your thoughts are as I've read mixed things. Is there a certain age baby chicks need to be before introducing a dast bath station for them? I've heard as early as 2 days old all the way up to 6 weeks..

Thanks so much!

It depends on a lot of things.. for example..

What are you putting in the "dust" bath? Where is your brooder located? Is it in your house and will it be adding extra things to the air that you don't wanna breath?

Is it going to be dirt from outside? And if so, were your chicks vaccinated against something like Marek's that need time to build it's resistance before possible exposure?

In my experience chicks will dust bathe even in the shavings.

I personally prefer to add in enrichment like a huge clump of grass with the dirt still attached, as bordeom becomes more apparent (maybe around a couple weeks). It's a nice way to get the chicks exposed to small amounts of whatever may be in your yard and build a little resistance before heading out full time.

I also personally wait to add anything in.. until I can clearly see that all chicks know what the food source is and all are pooping well.. in my case, often using paper towels on top of the shavings for at least the first few days of life.

To me there's no one right answer. But these are some points worth consideration.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some good points above but I don't think it is that important. I don't know when I first see chicks with a broody hen start dust bathing. I've never paid attention. If it is like everything else with chickens, some will start really young and some won't. I keep chicks in the brooder for 5 weeks without providing any place for them to take a dust bath. It does not seem to hurt them.

Are there benefits or potential risks in giving them something to dust bathe in? Yeah, probably both benefits and potential risks.

I see this as another one of those things that affects humans much more than the chickens. If you want to provide a dust bath then provide it as young as you want to. It should not hurt them. If you want to wait, then wait. That should not hurt them either.

I understand you want to do what is right and what is best for them. Most of us do. But I just don't see where it matters when they start.

 

[Msmagic]

Thank you guys for all the pointers. My brooder is actually in my bathroom, I have a picture of it attached. 4 are vaccinated against mericks the rest are not ( had to get them from 2 different locations). I do have pine chips down already and they seem ok so far with them. Thanks, I'll old off for a while and see how they do!