love that mud

[Chickies]

i was watching one of my chickens this morning and he was scratching at the waterer, and eating the mud that the splashes of water made. then he started drinking some water, dribbling it out and then eating that mud. (this would explain why their water always gets so much dirt in it, and the depression all around the waterer.) is this just a natural way of getting grit, or is this a sign that i need to give them grit? (i've read that free-range chickens don't need grit given to them) i've seen my chickens eat little pieces of seashell (i live in FL, they're in the dirt) and stuff, so i know they're getting some gritty stuff. any help on this one?

 

[Wildsky]

Mine love mud..... and my kids love making it for them!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

DD loves making it for the chicks and chickens alike! She may be 13 but she would rather play in the mud with them than talk on the phone with her friends.
They eat it off her fingers and love to get in a mud hole with her. They all look pretty funny after a short while! But in this hot weather I think it must feel pretty good.

 

[mamarosa]

Have a question, new egg
I live in michigan, and want to know do I have to put the chicks in the coop in the rain or will they seek cover themselves also How do they do in snow and colder weather.
I have 25 chicks that are 4 weeks old tomorrow as I just put them in the coop. thanks

 

[AllChookUp]

mamrosa - I wondered that too until a recent rainstorm. They just ran for the coop, and one ran for cover under a tree. I think it's instinctive. I still worried that in a heavy thunderstorm, they might scatter and I'd have trouble getting them back.

As far as snow & colder weather, I think it depends upon the type of chicken - I have Buff Orpoingtons and Wyandottes, which do well in cold weather.

You have to keep in mind that in cold weather they are in the coop a lot more, so you need to do things to keep them entertained, like hanging vegtables for them to peck at.

Does this make sense?

 

[Wildsky]

Mine do run for cover when it rains, under a tree/deck or head back to the coop.

As far as snow, mine did fine, they did spend ALOT of time IN the coop..... so you need a BIG coop (mine is 20x7 with a total now of 17 chickens)

I covered the run with tarps to try keep the snow out - but that also kept any sun from getting in, so I took the tarps off and shoveled the run clear of snow as much as I could.

(they eat snow as much as eating the mud! once they figure it out.)