Treats please!

[GambaDawn]

Hi everyone. I’m a new almost three week chicken raiser/lover and was wondering at what age I can give them a treat or two? I read here you must give them grit, and that you shouldn’t give too much treat, but when can I start? A couple meal worms or a watermelon rind to peck at? Thanks for any help, there’s so much information and nice people here!

 

[The Happster]

I have given my chicks treats right from the start, but I am careful with what I give them and how much.
Are yours three weeks?
You can give them treats, but make sure they have access to grit (they will collect it while free ranging. If not free range, you will have to provide some) and make sure they are treats and not monopolizing their feed.
Oats are always appreciated, mine like Greek yogurt. Plus it's a lot of fun watching them get covered
Watermelon and mealworms will be fine, as long as they are at a size where mealworms won't choke them.

 

[GambaDawn]

I have given my chicks treats right from the start, but I am careful with what I give them and how much.
Are yours three weeks?
You can give them treats, but make sure they have access to grit (they will collect it while free ranging. If not free range, you will have to provide some) and make sure they are treats and not monopolizing their feed.
Oats are always appreciated, mine like Greek yogurt. Plus it's a lot of fun watching them get covered
Watermelon and mealworms will be fine, as long as they are at a size where mealworms won't choke them.

Wonderful! So they are in a large brooder in the garage right now. They have a coop and run waiting for them. I’m hoping to take a couple out there here and there for a few minutes on nice days now. The grit, do I need to get the feed store type or just clean dirt from the coop area? Ty!!

 

[NatJ]

The grit, do I need to get the feed store type or just clean dirt from the coop area?

Grit is small rocks, so if your dirt has enough of the right size rocks, it can be fine. (What size rocks? Probably rocks about the size of the largest bits of their feed. The chicks will eat larger rocks as they get larger.)

So they are in a large brooder in the garage right now. They have a coop and run waiting for them. I’m hoping to take a couple out there here and there for a few minutes on nice days now.

If your chicks are already three weeks old, they are getting pretty close to being able to move out there! In some parts of the country, the nights are already warm enough for chicks of that age to sleep outside.

 

[GambaDawn]

Grit is small rocks, so if your dirt has enough of the right size rocks, it can be fine. (What size rocks? Probably rocks about the size of the largest bits of their feed. The chicks will eat larger rocks as they get larger.)



If your chicks are already three weeks old, they are getting pretty close to being able to move out there! In some parts of the country, the nights are already warm enough for chicks of that age to sleep outside.

Thank you! I went and bought some grit. only a few of them were interested, but I’ll keep supplying it! I’m not comfortable putting them outside at night yet, it’s gets down to about 50. Soon tho!