Baby Chick Diet???

[chickenlover09]

Hi everyone! I'm very new to chickens and need help on their diet.

For their whole lives (they are 16 or 17 days old) they have been eating just the Ace Hi Chick Starter Mash 22% and fresh water. Is there anything else I should be feeding them? The 2 big chicks live outside, and have a big feeder full of water and another of their feed, so I only have to fill it every couple days, but they always seem very bored with it.
Can I feed them eggs? Boiled and mashed or scrambeled? How much?
Do I need to feed them grit? What is grit and what type should I feed them?

I'll probably be going to the feed store in 2 weeks to get food for my bunnies, and is there anything that I should get for the chicks? All they have now is their feed, wood shavings, and water.

Sorry if this question is sort of basic, but I know practically nothing about chickens.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Sseckel]

Your babes will be just fine on the mash until they are a bit older. I usually wait until they are feathered out to start in on treats. I don't think that is a rule though. My older hens like black oil sunflower seeds, pretty much any veggie, grass, weeds, meal worms, etc.. I haven't fed mash before I usually just feed crumbles and those have enough grit to hold them until they are older. Hope that answers some of your questions.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't believe there is grit in any chicken feed I've ever used.
Some say that birds that only eat chicken feed don't need grit because the grain in it is already ground but grit helps to develop the gizzard even if they only eat chicken feed.

There's basically 3 sizes of grit for chickens - depending on age. The following link will help.

http://www.tccmaterials.com/pdf/CSpoultrygritdata.pdf

 

[Chris09]

Your babes will be just fine on the mash until they are a bit older. I usually wait until they are feathered out to start in on treats. I don't think that is a rule though. My older hens like black oil sunflower seeds, pretty much any veggie, grass, weeds, meal worms, etc.. I haven't fed mash before I usually just feed crumbles and those have enough grit to hold them until they are older. Hope that answers some of your questions.

There's no grit in poultry feed and there is no real need for it to be there.

 

[dirtychick]

Sorry worked in a big chicken feed mill for over a year in reciving their is grit in feed it is fine but is there.

 

[Sseckel]

I stand corrected, thank you Chris09, I learned something new today. Below is information I have copy/pasted directly from nutrena's website.

Should I provide grit for my chicks?
All poultry can have grit and will benefit from it. Note that this is different from oyster shell and coarse calcium carbonate, and does not provide any nutritional benefit - it instead aids in the digestive process.


When Should I start providing grit for my chicks?
You’ll want to start your chicks on grit once they leave the brooder and are introduced to outside forage/feed sources that are not solely a pellet or crumble.
For example, once you start feeding scratch or any grains or once they start foraging on grass/greens or bugs. While they are ONLY eating a pelleted or crumble feed they don’t need grit since their gastric juices are enough to break the food down adequately. But as soon as they get other types of feed they need the grit to break it down so the gut can absorb it.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Sseckel makes good points.

However, I give grit to all ages of birds, even those that free range. Even though grains and legumes in feed is already ground, grit helps the gizzard develop. I sprinkle #1 grit over the chicks feed the first week and the next couple weeks I either sprinkle it on the floor if covered with paper towels or provide it in a separate container if on shavings.
From week 4-7 I provide #2 grit and adult grit after that.
Since I've been doing this, I haven't had any cases of pasty vent. I also give probiotics at all ages so that could be a contributor also.

 

[chickenlover09]

I made another post but you're already subscribed to this one, so please help immedietly! My 2 silkies (who still live in the brooder and are about 3 weeks old) have been pooping blood the whole day. It is practically pure blood now. Both of them have it, but Sully has it worse. I changed their bedding to paper towel (the lady who I got them from said that the shavings could've cut them if they ate it), I've given them fresh water practically every 2 hours, and I make sure their pile of food is clean.

The feed store is closed right now. What should I do? I'm afraid their going to drop dead at any moment. Is their any homeade thing I could give them. Any homeade powder to mix into their water, any food (they don't have grit)?

I need help with this ASAP! I think it's cocci, but I have no idea how to treat it.

Please help!

 

[dirtychick]

???? no terimicem or antibllic ? any acv?

 

[chickenlover09]

None of that. Does plain yogurt help? How long would it take the disiese to kill the chickens? Does it always kill them if untreated?

Would a homeade electrolyte help?