Adding some veggies?

[Chickadee305]

Hey everyone, so my chicks are doing really well and they’re about two weeks old and I feel kinda weird only giving them crumbles because with my other animals I always give them cut up veggies and fruit. When can I start giving them some chopped greens? And would you guys recommend this?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Don't feel weird. They are your animals and you can do whatever you want. However, there has been well over 100 years of research into poultry nutrition. After all that time, we now know exactly which of the 40+ nutrients chickens of all ages are known to need and in which ratios. For chicks, those nutrients are in chick starter feed in the exact amounts they need. A good quality FRESH feed is the best thing you can do for their health. Much more important than the urge to vary their diet is to make sure the feed is fresh. Always check the mill date on the bag because some feed stores don't rotate their feed. I've seen feed up to 2 years old at feed stores and I wouldn't feed any more than 2 months old if I can help it. That old feed will have lost most of its vitamin content, a lot of the amino acids and the fats may have become rancid.
If you feed anything else, you will upset the balance and possibly, to the chicks' detriment. You said they are doing really well. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
To carry it a step further, chickens are not vegetarians, they are omnivores. Treating with vegetables will lower the protein intake. Adult chickens in a free range situation don't make vegetation a huge portion of their daily intake. It is mostly seeds, insects, other invertebrates and vertebrates including mice and frogs. If they encounter a dead deer carcass in their foraging, they may eat some. Do you have any finely chopped steak or fish to give them after adding grit to the diet? That would be better than vegetables and fruit- especially for chicks that need higher amino acid intake.
Are you currently giving them chick grit? If not, it would be a good idea to start. If you feed anything except starter feed, grit will be absolutely essential and preferably before their first bite of a vegetable or anything else that isn't finely ground. Chickens don't have hands or teeth. To digest their feed, they rely on the bite size food to be ground in the gizzard which requires small sharp insoluble stones.

 

[Liesa]

Hey I feed mine a mix of cooked, mashed egg with a little bit of the shell finely cracked over, some fine cut rolled oats and finely cut stinging nettle. I also cut in some chives and some very fine grated carrots. Then I drizzle some dried oregano over. They also enjoy some fine cut dandelion leaves or tiny mealworms.

 

[1muttsfan]

Sorry but the diet above is not a balanced diet, and could be dangerous to feed chicks as a sole source of nutrition as they grow. Their diet at this age should be at least 75% (energy intake) of a balanced chick feed. Chickencanoe has given you very good advice.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Hey I feed mine a mix of cooked, mashed egg with a little bit of the shell finely cracked over, some fine cut rolled oats and finely cut stinging nettle. I also cut in some chives and some very fine grated carrots. Then I drizzle some dried oregano over. They also enjoy some fine cut dandelion leaves or tiny mealworms.

What is the purpose of feeding chicks egg shells?

 

[Chickadee305]

Don't feel weird. They are your animals and you can do whatever you want. However, there has been well over 100 years of research into poultry nutrition. After all that time, we now know exactly which of the 40+ nutrients chickens of all ages are known to need and in which ratios. For chicks, those nutrients are in chick starter feed in the exact amounts they need. A good quality FRESH feed is the best thing you can do for their health. Much more important than the urge to vary their diet is to make sure the feed is fresh. Always check the mill date on the bag because some feed stores don't rotate their feed. I've seen feed up to 2 years old at feed stores and I wouldn't feed any more than 2 months old if I can help it. That old feed will have lost most of its vitamin content, a lot of the amino acids and the fats may have become rancid.
If you feed anything else, you will upset the balance and possibly, to the chicks' detriment. You said they are doing really well. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
To carry it a step further, chickens are not vegetarians, they are omnivores. Treating with vegetables will lower the protein intake. Adult chickens in a free range situation don't make vegetation a huge portion of their daily intake. It is mostly seeds, insects, other invertebrates and vertebrates including mice and frogs. If they encounter a dead deer carcass in their foraging, they may eat some. Do you have any finely chopped steak or fish to give them after adding grit to the diet? That would be better than vegetables and fruit.
Are you currently giving them chick grit? If not, it would be a good idea to start. If you feed anything except starter feed, grit will be absolutely essential and preferably before their first bite of a vegetable or anything else that isn't finely ground. Chickens don't have hands or teeth. To digest their feed, they rely on the food to be ground in the gizzard which requires small sharp insoluble stones.

Thank you so much for all the input! I have been giving them some grit because occasionally I give them some meal worms. They love to search for food and I wanted to give them some nice things to search for as enrichment.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

At this point, enrichment may be better in the form of places to explore. Branches for perching, different rooms, etc.

 

[Liesa]

What is the purpose of feeding chicks egg shells?

I think that's mainly for calcium

 

[1muttsfan]

I think CC's point is that young chicks don't need the high amounts of calcium that laying hens need. Calcium is complicated, and must be adequately balanced with phosphorus or growth issues will arise.
You will receive advice from many people on this site, including people who have little knowledge, or who give misleading or dangerous advice. Having knowledgeable, experienced folk like Chickencanoe offer guidelines on one of this sites' strengths. It is up to each member to decide what to do with their own birds, but keep in mind who it is giving you advice.
I hope you enjoy your birds as much as I have mine, and yes sometimes I'm worried, anxious or sad about something that happens to them, but boy have they been rewarding and fun

 

[Chickassan]

Fruits and veggies i'd hold off until you're ready to let them go outside mainly because they cause atrocious poops.
If you are set on treats and stimulation you can prepare healthy ones in advance though.
Get live mealworms and let the worms eat chick crumble and nothing more basically gut load them with it and treat your chicks with those sparingly.
The chicks will still require grit, but they'll be quite happy.