Baby chicks and snacks?

[faith2221]

I gave them a few small pieces of ham and boy did they fight over it! Thanks for all the input.

 

[Michael Apple]

Giving chicks sodium laden meats, vegetables and fruits they can't digest yet, or yogurt which contains calcium and will destroy their kidneys, is just encouraging health problems. Feed them a good quality organic starter/grower, a pinch of chick grit, and chick scratch as a treat. Give some vitamin-electrolyte-probiotic in the water a few times a week, or according to manufacturer's instructions, and you'll have healthy chicks growing into adulthood.

 

[Tomtommom]

Mine are about a week old now. They've had yogurt, cream of wheat, buttermilk, chopped up cutworms, grubs, millipedes and other assorted creepy crawlies, boiled egg, clover and chickweed.

I could never feed them meat... Just seems wrong. Especially chicken meat. And I would worry about sodium and such with lunchmeats. I will get them bugs to eat, I got plenty of those!

 

[Tomtommom]

I should add that I give -small- amounts, like a tablespoon of yogurt between 6 chicks. It should never replace their starter food, their tummies are too small. It's like human babies, you want to make sure milk/formula is the main food source, not candy.

 

[Michael Apple]

I should add that I give -small- amounts, like a tablespoon of yogurt between 6 chicks. It should never replace their starter food, their tummies are too small. It's like human babies, you want to make sure milk/formula is the main food source, not candy.

Chicks are not human babies and human babies are not chicks. Different food requirements for each.

 

[Tomtommom]

I don't think I said they had the same requirements. I was referring to the fact they (chicks and babies) have relatively small stomachs and need to utilize what little space they have by eating proper foods, not treats.

 

[RainyPeeps]

Chicks who are raised by their mom will start eating things other then chick food as soon as they can follow her out of the nest. However they are also eating pebbles and other hard objects that will aid in the digestion of these additional items. If you feed your chicks food besides chick feed, then you need to provide them with chick grit.

Personally, I don't feed my chicks any scraps while they are in the brooder. I do however start to throw clumps of grass, dandelions, clover, etc. into their box around a few weeks old. Dirt and roots attached. The chicks love it. Also, my kids love to find them little worms to feed them. I provide them with chick grit as well.

 

[RainyPeeps]

I don't think I said they had the same requirements. I was referring to the fact they (chicks and babies) have relatively small stomachs and need to utilize what little space they have by eating proper foods, not treats.

x2

 

[Tomtommom]

Yeah, I made sure to add the roots and little bit of dirt on the weeds. It introduces them slowly to some of the microorganisms in the soil outside that can shock and overload their system with parasites and other stuff, when you move them outside all of a sudden. It's like immunizations.

 

[Michael Apple]

I don't think I said they had the same requirements. I was referring to the fact they (chicks and babies) have relatively small stomachs and need to utilize what little space they have by eating proper foods, not treats.

"It's like human babies, you want to make sure milk/formula is the main food source, not candy."

You mentioned you feed them buttermilk and yogurt in a previous post. Where certain amounts of those two products are beneficial for juveniles and adults, chicks and calcium do not mix. Do a bit of research on chicks and calcium and you'll see what I mean. Your comparisons of chicks to human babies could be misleading to someone on the forum who may be considering raising chicks for the first time. There's no need to be defensive. I'm just considering others.