I have 4 two week old chicks that are fond of pecking the ground and scraping it, and sleeping. Sometimes they will have the odd noise making break, but should I put something into the brooder with them? For example I was thinking of putting an old broom handle sawn off, in with them to perch on, but a quick search on duckduckgo suggests maybe to put in a branch and possibly a mirror and a small pile of dirt from the garden…

I am a little confused, as I thought that those sort of things (not including the mirror) might carry harmful things for them, do I need to clean the branches first? - I don’t even want to ask about the garden dirt…

Can I throw a branch in with 2 week old chicks, or do I need to clean it first - and how? Or am I possibly over thinking that I need to much more careful than I actually need to be.

  • Babalugats@feddit.ukOPEnglish
    1·
    5 days ago

    Sorry, I’m brand new to this, mine is a big cage with a brooding lamp. I thought the whole thing was called a brooder.

    Did you clean the stick?

    I think I searched too much, now I’m back between not knowing, as people on Reddit (I could only view for a minute before a big advert to join blocks the forum) are saying that the sticks or branches need to be cleaned with warm water and soap, and thoroughly dried out.

    is this overkill due to ‘influencers’ influence, or is it a genuine thing?

    Lacking hens would be the main reason that I am using a brooding lamp etc. otherwise I’m firmly of the belief of caring things for as they would be reared or treated in nature, naturally…

    I will try to add photos today.

    • zout@fedia.io
      2·
      5 days ago

      I just used some piece of slat I had laying around, just make sure there are no splinters and the corners are somewhat rounded, use some sand paper to remove the sharp edges. It really doesn’t matter that much. Another comment mentioned saw dust or straw, but be careful with that because lice also like it.

      • Babalugats@feddit.ukOPEnglish
        1·
        5 days ago

        Thanks… no Slat lying around, will get something later. was hoping a branch of something, but maybe safer to use a bit of cleaner wood.

        • zout@fedia.io
          2·
          5 days ago

          I don’t think it really matters that much, in the wild chickens will just sleep in trees. If you go for a branch, just make sure it’s clean, fresh cut or debarked without cracks.