Scratching Behavior

[lundgrenj]

I built a small 'extension' to my chicks home. At some point, I can keep the door between these two boxes open. About an hour a day, I open it and let them 'roam', into the other 'room'.

Ive noticed that when I do, they all go in, and start scratching away down to the bottom of the box, and peck at it, as if there were food there.

Is this behavior because they are looking for food outside of their 'nest' area, like a chicken would use a run?

Pic provided, you can see it better:

See the image here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jalundgren/BabyChicks

 

[SeaChick]

They're just practising their big-girl moves! Chickens have the instinct to scratch and they're feeling that instinct. We just gave ours a pyrex dish of sifted dirt & DE, and they finally figured out they could dust-bathe in it! (They'd previously been "bathing" in the shavings and spilled food

). They are very instinctual creatures.

 

[Cetawin]

Oh yes my girls at 2 weeks old put on their big girl panties and have several scratch frenzies per day. I bought them a small glass shallow tray and I put a bit of food and scrach in it...they all get in it and go nuts doing their little dance!