play things for chicks???

[ladybuglives]

I am going insane! My 3 week old Buff Orps and Wyandottes are going stir crazy in their brooder. It is a large cardboard box for 6 chicks (3'x4'x2'deep). This last week they all started the fly at each other game. They dig in their pine shavings burying the food and water (which is up on 2x4 blocks) and peck at poo. Maude likes to grab a wood shaving that has poo on it and run causing the others to chase her all around the box. Mama Pajama likes to give herself dust baths in the shavings and has a knack for hitting the cecal poo area so she STINKS!!! I put a couple of flowering kale sprigs with aphids in there and they enjoyed eating the bugs. I change the water about 8 times a day (usually when it's full of pine shavings or has poo in it). I change the entire box out of shavings every other day. I'm exhausted!! I think my aim to keep things clean is probably overboard but I am not feeding medicated feed. Is there anything else I can do to prevent the poo eating, water burying, -- basically entertainment for the girls thats a bit more conducive to a healthy environment...

 

[JPinVT]

If they're still getting shavings in their waterer, you need to raise it higher. I'm new to chicks too, and I was sooo frustrated with this! I thought I had the waterer raised like everyone suggested, but then I put it up really high out of sheer frustration, and now I get zero shavings in there while I'm gone at work all day. I have one waterer on a 6x6" cube (desk organizer turned on its side - now the chicks also like to sleep in their "cave" sometimes as a bonus) and another on a wooden block about the same height. My chicks are 3 weeks old as well, and they can reach the water easily, and it's cut waaaay back on the upkeep for me.

As for cleaning their shavings out every day - my chicks aren't vaccinated against anything, but they're eating medicated feed. If you've got medicated feed, you really don't have to worry - they're animals: they're going to eat poop! I've got a 4x4 brooder with shavings about 3" deep, and all I've done over the past 3 weeks is rake/mix up the shavings every day to mix the poop in. It looks and smells clean still, and the chicks are healthy and happy (although I'm planning a complete clean out on their first trip outside this weekend, but that's really more for me than them I think).

The chicks are going to dig in the shavings and run around playing keep away - they're kids, and they're having fun! You could add a roost - mine love theirs. It's a stick about 1/2" in diameter about 5" off the ground. It's the perfect size/height for them right now (I just upgraded from a skinnier/lower roost last night). Other than that, I'm not sure, but it seems to keep my babies content

 

[Qi Chicken]

I put 1/2 a head of cabbage in there (mine are 5 weeks). I cut out the middle white part. That way they can peck at it throughout the day. I put my waterer on 2 stacked 12x12 landscaping pavers. It is probably 4 inches up? Not too bad in terms of shavings. The food is screwed onto 2 stacked 2x6s. They do get shavings in there but not too terrible. I don't know how they get them in there as it is one of those long chick feeders with the little holes for their heads. I did put a mirror but they didn't really seem interested. At least they're not vain!

 

[kitkatbahr]

Funny you asked about toys for chicks. I was just trying to think of things for my little lone duckling to play with in her brooder. I was going to go to the pet store this afternoon and look at bird toys and see if there is anything safe enough that she cannot get her feet or bill stuck in, but, the Space Shuttle went up this afternoon and traffic on the island where I live is a nightmare, so I guess I will go tomorrow.

If you think of some toy ideas, please post them. I will do the same if I find anything suitable.

Kathy
Merritt Island, FL

 

[Qi Chicken]

I wonder if they would chase one of those little cat balls with a bell inside.

 

[Laurajean]

Good question! I'll be checking for the answers. My chicks are 11 days old and I check on them all day long. Every time I look in they're either sleeping, or just standing there. I feel bad, they look so bored! I talk to them and they'll peep and look up at me but that's about it. I put a little rubber ducky in with the chicks, but I guess that's more entertainment for me, not them. I think it's funny when they cuddle around it, lol.

 

[fanniefarkle]

I saw on another thread that someone put a ping pong ball in the brooder for their chicks to play with.

 

[NurseELB]

I put sheets down to catch the poo and let 'em free! You haven't seen the run and chest bump game until it's played out on a large field!

 

[TurkeyMountainChickens]

Quote:
I've tried that - but my chicks didn't care for it. They seem only to like toys they can climb on (perches, ladders, etc.) or food!

 

[StormyMoon]

give them a hand full of grass and watch the funny chase game its hilarious... but when you do that grab a bowl of dirt too or get grit I like the natural way with dirt and grass they spend hours picking at it and scratching..... I like letting them go in the house when they can't be out side and they do the chest bump and fly into each other to round them up easier just slowly walk towards them dont bend down and chase them or they will get scared, when you have walked them like into a corner you can safely pick them up without all the screaming and feather flapping.