Treats for chicks and other food questions.

[KimbosKluckers]

My chicks are almost 3 weeks old. Last week was their first time having some crumbled mealworms and a tray of sand for grit (I take this out after a couple hours) Have done this twice now and they love it. Is there anything else they can have at this age? Should I even be doing mealworms yet? How often? Should the sand box be left in the brooder? And how old should they be when I introduce adult food instead of crumbles? I’m thinking I read 16 weeks?
Thank you!!

 

[Sally PB]

An excellent "treat" at any age is their regular feed, wetted into a mash. All of my birds have loved it, from the first time they got it at about a week old. Chick feed doesn't require grit, but you can leave a small dish of chick-sized grit in the brooder for them.

Mash snack is also how I get chicks used to being handled. I put a bit of mash in the palm of my hand and sit next to the brooder. (Get comfortable, as this could take awhile!) Eventually, one of the chicks will check it out. Then another, and eventually all of them. I keep doing that every day, and let them climb on me.

I would skip the mealworms right now. They have a fair amount of protein, but also a fair amount of fat.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

An excellent "treat" at any age is their regular feed, wetted into a mash. All of my birds have loved it, from the first time they got it at about a week old. Chick feed doesn't require grit, but you can leave a small dish of chick-sized grit in the brooder for them.

Mash snack is also how I get chicks used to being handled. I put a bit of mash in the palm of my hand and sit next to the brooder. (Get comfortable, as this could take awhile!) Eventually, one of the chicks will check it out. Then another, and eventually all of them. I keep doing that every day, and let them climb on me.

I would skip the mealworms right now. They have a fair amount of protein, but also a fair amount of fat.

Thank you! I will do this tomorrow. I’ve been trying to figure out a better way to get them used to me. I handle them daily and it’s as if the older they get, the more they flutter frantically away from me
Ok, no more worms until they’re older. So the sandbox is ok for them to dust in?

 

[Sally PB]

So the sandbox is ok for them to dust in?

I think they'll love it.

For my last batch of chicks, I'd sit by the brooder with my feet in there. They were scared at first, but then realized that "momma jungle gym" was fun.

When reaching for them, always reach from the side, never from above. They are instinctively afraid of predators coming at them from above. I started by stroking their wings very gently, saying, "safe with momma" when they'd eat mash snack from my hand.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

I think they'll love it.

For my last batch of chicks, I'd sit by the brooder with my feet in there. They were scared at first, but then realized that "momma jungle gym" was fun.

When reaching for them, always reach from the side, never from above. They are instinctively afraid of predators coming at them from above. I started by stroking their wings very gently, saying, "safe with momma" when they'd eat mash snack from my hand.

I love that!! Mamma jungle gym!
Yes I try to reach from the sides. I spread my arms on opposite sides and sort of corral them to one hand, lol. Slowly of course. They just seem to startle easy until I’m there more than 10 minutes. I’d love if they readily came to me. Thanks!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

And how old should they be when I introduce adult food instead of crumbles?

Depends on what "adult food" you are considering, and the breeds of birds you have.

If by adult food you mean layer feed, I personally don't offer that until half the birds are actively laying, though with high production breeds some folks will advise beginning at 16-18 weeks (basically whatever the bag instructions say). If you mean all flock instead, then that really can be offered at any age as long as the crumble/pellet size can be managed by the bird.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Depends on what "adult food" you are considering, and the breeds of birds you have.

If by adult food you mean layer feed, I personally don't offer that until half the birds are actively laying, though with high production breeds some folks will advise beginning at 16-18 weeks (basically whatever the bag instructions say). If you mean all flock instead, then that really can be offered at any age as long as the crumble/pellet size can be managed by the bird.

I have RIR and barred rocks. I hear they’re high production so I planned on 16 weeks or so for layer feed. When and why would someone feed all flock instead? I’m sorry if these are dumb questions but I’m a chicken newbie.

 

[Sally PB]

I’m sorry if these are dumb questions but I’m a chicken newbie.

These are NOT dumb questions. We were all newbies at one point. It shows that you're thinking ahead and planning.

Here's the reason behind the all flock feed ("flock raiser" or "flock maker" are other terms for essentially the same thing).

Look at the protein levels in a layer feed, any brand. The information is printed on the bag, or an attached tag. It's probably 16%. It also has 3-4% (+/-) calcium. The calcium is necessary for laying pullets/hens to make eggshells, and you won't have to put out a dish of any calcium supplement. Easy.

The 16% protein is what commercial egg producers have found is the BARE MINIMUM they can feed high production laying chickens. At their scale, fractions of a percentage add up to big money, so they cut it down to the minimum.

In a commercial flock, the goal is maximum eggs, minimum effort (labor costs money), and the birds will be processed into something else (animal feed? soup?) at around 18 months, when their best laying days are behind them.

Look at a flock raiser/all flock feed. The protein level is probably 20%, but the calcium level is around 1-1.5%. This is enough calcium for non-laying birds, either too young to lay, or cockerels/roosters. If you use this kind of feed, you need to put out a source of calcium for the layers. Oyster shell and crushed egg shells are commonly used. If they aren't laying yet, they'll ignore it, and the boys will leave it alone.

The higher protein in the all flock feed means a higher price. Protein is the most expensive ingredient.

I'm not going to address the quality of the protein and the amino acids; that's another topic. A lot (most?) people here feed an all flock type of feed for the better protein and put a dish of calcium out for the birds that need it.

When I've had chicks, I buy a bag of "chick starter" and when they're done with that, usually around 6-8 weeks, I transition them to all flock.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

These are NOT dumb questions. We were all newbies at one point. It shows that you're thinking ahead and planning.

Here's the reason behind the all flock feed ("flock raiser" or "flock maker" are other terms for essentially the same thing).

Look at the protein levels in a layer feed, any brand. The information is printed on the bag, or an attached tag. It's probably 16%. It also has 3-4% (+/-) calcium. The calcium is necessary for laying pullets/hens to make eggshells, and you won't have to put out a dish of any calcium supplement. Easy.

The 16% protein is what commercial egg producers have found is the BARE MINIMUM they can feed high production laying chickens. At their scale, fractions of a percentage add up to big money, so they cut it down to the minimum.

In a commercial flock, the goal is maximum eggs, minimum effort (labor costs money), and the birds will be processed into something else (animal feed? soup?) at around 18 months, when their best laying days are behind them.

Look at a flock raiser/all flock feed. The protein level is probably 20%, but the calcium level is around 1-1.5%. This is enough calcium for non-laying birds, either too young to lay, or cockerels/roosters. If you use this kind of feed, you need to put out a source of calcium for the layers. Oyster shell and crushed egg shells are commonly used. If they aren't laying yet, they'll ignore it, and the boys will leave it alone.

The higher protein in the all flock feed means a higher price. Protein is the most expensive ingredient.

I'm not going to address the quality of the protein and the amino acids; that's another topic. A lot (most?) people here feed an all flock type of feed for the better protein and put a dish of calcium out for the birds that need it.

When I've had chicks, I buy a bag of "chick starter" and when they're done with that, usually around 6-8 weeks, I transition them to all flock.

Thank you for making this understandable! Makes sense, as I was wondering what to feed if I end up with a rooster or two (my luck they’ll all be roosters ) The all flock sounds more reasonable with a calcium supplement for the layers so that’s what I’ll do. The calcium is free choice at all times, correct? Will it mold or need to be changed out in a certain timeframe? Anything else will be considered “treats” I assume? Scratch, grains, mealworms, boiled eggs (which I read they love) etc.

 

[Sally PB]

The calcium is free choice at all times, correct? Will it mold or need to be changed out in a certain timeframe? Anything else will be considered “treats” I assume? Scratch, grains, mealworms, boiled eggs (which I read they love) etc.

Yes, the calcium is there all the time. Keep it from getting wet, and it'll be fine. It wouldn't grow mold unless it got wet and dirty.

Keep anything that isn't their feed (or the calcium) to a minimum, as yes, it would be a treat.

I make my chickens "work" for their treats. When I give them a bucket of weeds from the garden, I dump them in a pile and they have to scratch through them. Even when I give them their mash snack, I dump out spoonfuls around the run. (This also keeps the birds higher in the pecking order from gaurding/hogging all the mash.)

I seldom give them BOSS (black oil sunflower seed) or mealworms. Once or twice a month. I toss out about 1/4 cup, scattered around the run, for 10 chickens.