sand box

[CKMom]

I want to give the chicks something fun to do in the brooder. When can I introduce a sand/DE box ? I don't want them consuming all the sand, but dust bathing is fine.
They are 19 days old.

So far they have 2 roosts in the brooder, food, water.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Mighty nice of you, but I wouldn't worry about it. At 3 weeks, they wont know what it's for, anyway.

 

[Chickenmaven]

They're not bored.
Don't worry about it.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
Shes right. They are "sporting," beating up on each other, long about now.
To them, THAT is fun.

 

[CKMom]

Ok, ok, just some new chick mommy guilt here.

They have enough room, food and friends, but they are like 2 yr. olds, pushing, and pecking, and yet when I give them more room, and separate them, they don't know what to do, and peep to be back in the brooder.

 

[SimplyForties]

I give mine a clump of grass every day with the roots and dirt still attached. They love that, especially the dirt part and spend a lot of time pecking at it and scratching around it and, eventually, they all fall asleep piled up on it. Mine are a little more than 2 weeks old.

 

[nwgirl]

I put some play sand in a separate rubbermaid when my chicks were 3 weeks old and sure enough one was very happy to dust, and it wasn't long before the others followed suit. One word of warning: It is messy!!! Dust everywhere, sand all over the floor, but they sure enjoyed it.