Treats for chicks?

[Rethia]

What do you think they used of thousands of years before they were domesticated? What do you think they've used for the thousands of years since they have been domesticated. Farmers that have chickens don't provide dust baths for them. Chickens use dirt. Think where the dust in dust bath came from. Rethia, I don't mean to pick on you. I'm laughing at all of the people that carefully explain that you need to add wood ashes, DE, or something else to a dust bath. Wood ashes won't hurt, personally I avoid DE due to respiratory concerns (even food grade) but all they need for a dust bath is dust which comes from dirt.

I was kind of wondering since I've seen all kinds of stuff about DE (but it has to be the right kind) and wood ash (what do you do if you don't have wood ash? Go burn stuff for ash?) and sand and peat moss, etc. But also, some of those aren't for chicks. -_-

Good to know that ye olde dirt should suffice. I figured as much, but as a first-time chick(en) mom, I wanted to double check. I knew that's what they would have outside, but didn't know if exposure to ground bacteria is a concern at this age. However, I didn't keep my kids in a germ free bubble and I don't think I should keep the chickies in one either.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Good to know that ye olde dirt should suffice. I figured as much, but as a first-time chick(en) mom, I wanted to double check. I knew that's what they would have outside, but didn't know if exposure to ground bacteria is a concern at this age. However, I didn't keep my kids in a germ free bubble and I don't think I should keep the chickies in one either.

That's my approach too - they build up better immunity rolling around in dirt and microbes while young.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I didn't keep my kids in a germ free bubble and I don't think I should keep the chickies in one either.

We had three boys that went to school. No way were they in a germ free bubble.

On about the second or third day in the brooder I start feeding them dirt from the run a couple of times a week. This gets grit in their system, introduces them to any probiotics the older chickens have to share, and gets them started on building up flock immunities to anything they may need immunity from. Is there the potential to introduce parasites or diseases to them? Of course, but they will eventually be introduced to them anyway. With a strengthened immune system I think they are better able to fight them off, if they can be fought off. And it is easy to observe and treat in the brooder if necessary.