Chickens are born with the instinct to scratch and try to eat whatever is beneath their feet. When first bringing chicks home, one has to lay out newspapers on the bottom of the brooder (a warm, enclosed, safe place to keep vulnerable chicks). Laying out newspapers instead of spreading out wood chips right away prevents the chicks from eating the wood. Afterward, the chick keeper should dip the chicks' beaks in water and then place them on or right in front of their food. This is so the chicks will know where the food and water is.
*Video after the jump!
When the chicks get a little older and get to go outside, scratching at the ground is useful for uncovering bugs and young greens to eat.
The following video is of one of my young chickens being outside on the grass for the 2nd time. It's an example of how silly chickens can look, learning the ways of being a chicken.
