# Chick wallowing in wet shavings?



## JekkaLynn (Apr 27, 2014)

I have 6 two week old chicks and today one was obssesively wallowing in damp shavings. I though she had slipped on the plastic lid her waterer is on so I picked her up and tried to see if her leg was hurt. When I tried to put her back down she flopped over on her side and lay there. I tried picking her up and sitting her down and she kept flopping over and kicking the one leg. I took out the lid and put her down and she stood up and walked away then climbed onto her perch not hurt at all. The lid was covered in shavings and had ridges on it but now I am worries that a check will slip and get splayed leg.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

She's dust bathing. They always after a good dust bath act like they're disoriented and flop about. It can put a stop to your heart as they look half dead after they do it, but it is normal, happy chicken behaviour. 

The name "dust bath" is irrelevant, my birds wallow in mud just as happy as dust


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## JekkaLynn (Apr 27, 2014)

Would this lid be safe to put in their pen or could it cause splayed legs?


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## JekkaLynn (Apr 27, 2014)

It would be sprinkled with shavings. It is just that I have the chickens in the house so I wanted to have something under their food and water to contain the mess.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

My brooders are Rubbermaid bins. They have a layer of shavings on them and I have had no problems with legs.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

Fiere said:


> My brooders are Rubbermaid bins. They have a layer of shavings on them and I have had no problems with legs.


i only go with paper towels for the 1st week

after that they know what food is then i put pine shavings on the bottom of the 50 gallon plastic brooder/tote


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

I do the paper towels, as well, just on top of the shavings.


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## JekkaLynn (Apr 27, 2014)

I have them in a dog cage on a tarp in my house so a lot of shavings will just equal a lot of mess. I have a box of shavings under the lamp for them to sleep in. The rest of the cage is newspaper with wire over it for traction and shavings sprinkled around. They have two different perches, toilet paper rolls, and an aluminum loaf pan upside down to play with.


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## JekkaLynn (Apr 27, 2014)

I just hope they don't get too upset when I steal some of their space for a small tote of day olds I am getting tomorrow.


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Remember that day olds and week olds need different temperatures. So be mindful of your heat placement.


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## piglett (Jun 21, 2012)

make sure the day olds have room to not only get warm 

under the lamp but also cool down if they get too hot

maybe put the lamp in 1 corner ???


good luck
piglett


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## JekkaLynn (Apr 27, 2014)

We just got payed for something so we will be building a whole second brooder for the day olds and buying some thermometers and treats and everything


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## Fiere (Feb 26, 2014)

Rubbermaid totes. They cost like, 10$. Clip a heat lamp the the side and you are good to go, or cut a square out of the top and hang e lamp through the hole so the lid stays on. Depending on the size of your box that will get a bit warm quickly to always make sure to check the temp.


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## JekkaLynn (Apr 27, 2014)

That is the plan. We just need to get a clip on lamp. We need to build a wire top for it to since we have a cat. He use to know not to bother chicks but it has been a long time and he is 25 pounds so even if he just smacks one it will mean a dead chick


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