Mom, I'm booooored. And it's sooooooo hot. (Update: so much happier!)

[jenni2142]

As a treat mine loved a plate of moistened food, just starter with a little water. They had a ball scratching. Before they were 2 weeks they had learned that the "here chick chick chick" meant yummies.

 

[Iceblink]

On another thread someone mentioned that they get a big clump of weeds with the dirt still attached and put it in with them. I don't know how old the chicks were when they did this, but I thought it sounded really fun.

 

[annek]

At that age I think the only treat I would give them would be boiled eggs chopped up really good. No grit is needed with eggs. Chickens love to scratch so I would make up a shallow pan with sand (at this age you can use crumbles instead of sand) mix in the egg pieces really good then put it in the cage and stand back. The chicks will love hunting for their treats. In a week or two you can add other things like the sand or chick grit and broccoli, strawberries, etc. I always made sure to thoroughly coat the juicy things and chop them up really good so when the chick carried it off, it wouldn't stick to the dang pine bedding and they wouldn't consume that with the treat. My chicks absolutely went crazy for this and it kept them busy for 2 or 3 hours.

 

[annek]

Quote:
Be careful with grass, sometimes they get nuts and eat it and it balls up in their crop and they get impacted. I didn't let them have it for a few weeks.

 

[insiderart]

I give mine bugs. I throw a bit of grit in there for them to peck at since they are having bugs. I also use the large pine shavings, an endless source of entertainment.

 

[txredneckmedic]

i tend to give mine scrambled eggs....they go nuts for it....especially the ducks

 

[mediazeal]

Quote:
Hilarious!!

I tried mirrors, and first they were terrified and then they just ignored them.
Here are the treats that have provided some entertainment to the less than 2 week olds.
Hard boiled egg, their regular food out of my hand, regular food in a tiny mix of warm water = mash, plain yogurt

If it is warm enough and you have a covered chicken tractor, they will love being out on the grass for a bit. Mine came in after an hour or so very content and told stories the rest of the day about their field trip.

roosts are great fun
I tried small box 'houses' with windows and doors cut out to 'hide' in but no one explored that. I think different breeds like different things. Mine really only liked food, roosts and field trips.

 

[Uzuri]

Lots of good ideas here

(And LOL on the shiny things, cjeanean)

I think I'll try the eggs and the bizzy balls; I almost threw them a paper towel roll last thing (the inside) because they'd been playing with it while I cleaned their cage -- sounded like a bunch of street drummers XD They do already have a red light, so we're OK there. This morning they were under the lamp rather than clean on the other side of the cage to start, so I think ventilating the garage last night and moving the light up must have helped me some, too.

I'm afraid to give them any outside dirt at the moment because I was unable to get medicated feed for them and will be away, leaving them with a sitter in a couple weeks for a few days--last thing I want is for my housemate to have to decide whether they have cocci or not So outside trips and sod will wait until I'm back. (Which reminds me... I was supposed to call the vet about getting some Corid to have on hand... hmm)

And then my long-term (as in, weekend) heat solution is to get the coop part of their mobile coop/tractor finished and put them in there with the heat lamp. More space to move around and the ability to put a heat barrier between one end of the tractor and the lamp ought to solve my heat problems. Watch it decide to go back to 60/30 next week

 

[Uzuri]

Hate to double post, but -- hard boiled eggs: whole egg, or just the yolks? Smushed real fine either way, of course.

 

[TXmom]

I started with just crumbled yolk at first, then added the whites later. I actually ate the whites at first, just giving them the yolk

You could probably do it either way and they'll love it.

Here's a pic of my brooder in the beginning...they LOVED climbing on the small box on it's side and the ramp. Of course, they outgrew this quickly and I had to move them to a bigger brooder, and then they loved the extra space and the little roosts we put in there.