At what age do you think they could handle food the size of 1/2 a pea

[kizanne]

Title says it all.

At what age do you think something the size of 1/2 a pea or smaller wouldn't get caught in their throat. This is assuming they have grit and all that good stuff.


Looking for the youngest age not a to be safe wait til 20 weeks.

Anyone with actual experience would be great

 

[fiddlebanshee]

My chicks started eating all kinds of stuff at one week. I gradually started chopping things in less small bits and now at 12 weeks they eat their way through a whole cabbage with ease.

I'd think it depends on how hard the stuff is that you are planning to feed them. Their beaks become very effective little hammers and plyers at 3 or 4 weeks.

 

[Beekissed]

I feed a little BOSS in their bedding at 2-3 days, just so the Mom can show them how to look for "bugs". They eat the seeds with ease.

 

[kizanne]

fiddlebanshee and beekissed thanks this helps alot.

fiddlebanshee I'm actually talking 1/2 a pea but it is cooked and dried (in the broiler feed).

I want to switch them from start to broiler because I 'accidently' set some eggs for Christmas and I need to same some starter feed for those chicks.

Since I use Organic and have to drive quite a ways to go get it, I was hoping to stretch out my 50# bag of it.

The feed I use the Broiler and Starter is the same 19% protein, low calicum feed except the starter is ground to a fine powder and the Broiler has larger chunks of natural foods.

I'm going to let them run through 1/3 to 1/2 the bag then I'll switch them to broiler they'll be at least 2 weeks by then.

I've had them on grit since day one. A small amount sprinkled on top so as they eat they are getting some cause I been feeding mealworms as treats and to up the protein a little.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

Mine ate stinkbugs at 2 weeks old. They are much larger than a pea, and I'd think harder to crush. I wouldn't worry. It is however possible that your birds will not want the bigger food because they're not used to it. You'll not know until you try it.

 

[johnson215]

i gave mine crickets when they were a couple weeks old, they love chasing anything that hops!!! so cute to watch:

 

[KYTinpusher]

I was just wondering the same thing, as I am putting my 5-week-old chicks in the coop with my 9-week-old chicks this week. The 9-week-olds have been eating a finely ground organic chick starter mixed with the larger layer feed and they really like the larger pieces. The chick starter is basically the same as the layer except they add fishmeal to the chick starter to bring the protein content up to 21%. I was worried that the 5-week-olds might be too small to offer the larger mix to. But it sounds like they should all be fine if I have both size grinds available.

Does anyone see a problem with this?

 

[kizanne]

I'm fairly certain by 5 weeks old they'll be fine.