5 and 1/2 week old chicks won't eat growers pellets?

[SirBrookalasBrook]

5 and 1/2 week old chicks won't eat growers pellets, is it to early for them. I've had to carry on feeding them chick crumb. Do I carry on feeding chick crumb for a week?

 

[Redchels]

I feed crumb all the time even my layers bc they wouldn’t eat pellets.

 

[SirBrookalasBrook]

Ye ok, I might mix the crumb with the pellets to see when they start eating the pellets.

 

[RoosterML]

Ye ok, I might mix the crumb with the pellets to see when they start eating the pellets.

Mix together at first until your done with starter. They will eat when hungry

 

[SirBrookalasBrook]

I'm not sure if they can swallow the pellets, we have 5 bantams and 3 leghorns.

 

[SirBrookalasBrook]

I left just the growers pellets out all night, but they didn't touch them.

 

[RoosterML]

I left just the growers pellets out all night, but they didn't touch them.

Birds don’t eat at night

 

[SirBrookalasBrook]

Actually I was being really thick, I've only just taken them off the heat lamp so they wouldn't eat anymore at night obviously. I saw in another thread that they soaked the pellets so they were softer, would that work?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Actually I was being really thick, I've only just taken them off the heat lamp so they wouldn't eat anymore at night obviously. I saw in another thread that they soaked the pellets so they were softer, would that work?

You can try that, especially if the pellets are on the large side and difficult for them to eat.

Personally at 5 1/2 weeks, especially with bantams, I'd stick to a crumble for the time being.

 

[RRM]

By reading this I’d guess one of these three things is going on;
1. The pellets are different than what they’re used to and don’t realize that’s their new feed (possible but doubtful).
2. The pellets are too big for them so they won’t/can’t eat them (possible).
3. They don’t like the taste of the pellets (possible).

Try grinding/smashing up your pellets into crumbles and see if they eat them. If this works at least you know they will eat it if it’s given to them in crumble form, and you can try it in the pellet form when they get a little older.
If they won’t eat it once you’ve ground it up then you’ll know they just don’t like the taste of that feed.