At What Age Do You Feed Chicks veggies?

[andrew3waz]

Okay so I have gotten many different responses on what age I should start feeding my chicks veggies. So I would like to hear as many different opinions as possible and I know once I start feeding them veggies I need to start giving them grit. So at what age do I start feeding them veggies?

 

[HS Pye]

I start mine at eight weeks and just let them forage from their hatching. As for the grit, I don't know what your landscape is like so I don't now for sure, but for where I live we don't worry about that since our fowl just find small pebbles.

HS Pye

 

[donrae]

My broody raised chicks get access to the kitchen scraps as soon as they're off the nest. My chicks are raised in the flock, so momma just gets in there and shows the babies what's good to eat when I toss stuff in the run.

 

[New Flockman]

Our broody-raised started eating veggies as soon as Momma brought them out of the nest. These are our first broodies but I second what donrae said that Mom will teach the chicks what to eat. I've even seen Momma Bea break up big chunks and beak-feeding the chicks. Momma knows best most often.

 

[andrew3waz]

At what age do the chicks come off the nest?

 

[HS Pye]

If you mean foraging, almost immediately. If you mean independent, then four to five months.

HS Pye

 

[donrae]

Sorry, A broody hen usually keeps everyone on the nest for the first 48 hours or so, after that they're off and out and about. That's what I consider off the nest, just while she waits those first day or two for any stragglers to hatch.

 

[Araucana16]

Veggies : I would give grit at around 4 weeks, and at the same time, start giving them veggies. Just small amounts, like a little head of broccoli for them to test out, or maybe some grass and such.

Broody : Totally depends. Some abandon the chicks at 3 weeks and they require supplemental care, some are mothers that take it wayyyyy too far. Look at the record broody thread, there was a hen Bertha who stayed with 18 week old chicks and tried to sleep on them all.

Generally speaking, a broody will start distancing herself at 4-6 weeks and then abandon the chicks by 8 weeks.