Baby chicks and snacks?

[Bellatrixed]

If we are supposed to be limiting calcium intake, are greens ok? Like lettuce for example….ok for them to have as a TREAT?

Yes, greens are perfectly fine for chicks to eat. If they were being raised outdoors they'd be nibbling on grass and whatever else they could reach! Lettuce is great to give both chicks and waterfowl (though I think the waterfowl like it more!).

I think the key to all of this is moderation. While some may take a purely utilitarian stance that treats are unneeded, it also isn't going to hurt the babies to be given a small sampling of something healthy to eat if their owners find it fun to watch them rush around with the treats.

 

[Elke Beck]

I think the key is all things in moderation. I know someone who raises chicks on layer mash because she does not want to have two bags of feed. Her chicks are healthy and happy, and do not seem to have any more health problems than anyone else's. She's been doing this for years, and has had hens live for 7 or 8 years.

I am in the camp with those who believe in exposing the chicks to small amounts of different kinds of foods from the start. This is what mother hens do, and since I am filling in for their mother, I do it, too. I give them a balanced, healthy main food and little bits of treats.

So last night before bed I checked the 14 2-1/2 week old chicks in my brooder, and heard the chicks peeping loudly. I thought, great, what's wrong now. Turns out, a crane fly had gotten in and was attracted to the heat lamp, and the chicks were going nuts trying to jump up and catch it. They know what they want to eat. These are meat birds, and I f wanted to have birds raised in the dark on a balanced ration designed for optimum growth, then I can just drive to the local store and pay less. I want chickens raised to enjoy their chicken-iness, and for that they need to eat more than just dry, lifeless food.

 

[Bellatrixed]

I think the key is all things in moderation. I know someone who raises chicks on layer mash because she does not want to have two bags of feed. Her chicks are healthy and happy, and do not seem to have any more health problems than anyone else's. She's been doing this for years, and has had hens live for 7 or 8 years.

I am in the camp with those who believe in exposing the chicks to small amounts of different kinds of foods from the start. This is what mother hens do, and since I am filling in for their mother, I do it, too. I give them a balanced, healthy main food and little bits of treats.

So last night before bed I checked the 14 2-1/2 week old chicks in my brooder, and heard the chicks peeping loudly. I thought, great, what's wrong now. Turns out, a crane fly had gotten in and was attracted to the heat lamp, and the chicks were going nuts trying to jump up and catch it. They know what they want to eat. These are meat birds, and I f wanted to have birds raised in the dark on a balanced ration designed for optimum growth, then I can just drive to the local store and pay less. I want chickens raised to enjoy their chicken-iness, and for that they need to eat more than just dry, lifeless food.

I couldn't have said it better myself, especially the bold part!

Most people (especially on this forum; it's called "backyard" chickens, not "cold but efficient mass produced chickens") who choose to have chickens want them to be happy, active, and entertaining. I have free choice chick feed available at all times, but they come racing at top speed to my hand when I put treats in the brooder and proceed to race around playing "chick football" with whatever they can grab. This says to me that it is their natural instinct to run around "hunting" for good food instead of just eating crumbles out of a dish and nothing else.

Also, I have noticed that when they're running with a treat and inevitably drop it, they stop and scratch around and peck through the sand in the brooder. So, not only do they get the exercise of racing around the brooder with the treats, they go scratching for the crumbs. Sounds perfectly natural to me!

I try not to anthropomorphize my animals too much, but to me, there is a clear difference between a bunch of chicks standing around in a brooder and pecking at their food dish when they get hungry, and a bunch of chicks chasing each other, leaping over small obstacles, and scratching around as they play with treats. I suppose which is most appealing to you will vary based on your reason for having chickens. But for me, since they're more expensive than store-bought eggs and take a fair amount of work, I don't think it's unreasonable for me to be entertained in exchange.

 

[BluesChicken]

Well said everyone. I get a kick out of watching my 4 do their chicken thing with the occasional treats (meal worms and egg yolk mostly) I give them. Yesterday, however, my barred rock pullet went for the hand instead of the worm...YIKES That girl can PECK! ...and they are only 4-weeks old! I think the secret dinosaur is emerging!

 

[Michael Apple]

Most people (especially on this forum; it's called "backyard" chickens, not "cold but efficient mass produced chickens") who choose to have chickens want them to be happy, active, and entertaining.

If that's what you received out of the numerous people with 30+ years experience attempting to assist new poultry owners, in regard to some of the particulars a chick's health and digestive abilities on this thread, then you missed the point entirely.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ers-in-regard-to-feeding-scraps#post_10641855

 

[Bellatrixed]

If that's what you received out of the numerous people with 30+ years experience attempting to assist new poultry owners, in regard to some of the particulars a chick's health and digestive abilities on this thread, then you missed the point entirely.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ers-in-regard-to-feeding-scraps#post_10641855

If you read my post again, I didn't address or dispute any of the digestive points, because they are accurate. I don't feed my chicks dairy, for instance. I was more targeting some of the comments that tiny quantities of treats should never be fed to chicks.

There is never any one right way to do something. Never. I don't think I'm being irresponsible if I allow my chicks (and adult chickens) 24/7 access to nutritionally balanced food but occasionally let them have some egg or cornbread or oatmeal.

Also, if you're truly trying to help new people, the condescending tone just scares people away. Luckily I'm not a new poultry owner and have enough sense to know there's a happy medium between "never feed your chickens anything other than pellets or they'll get sick" and "let your chickens gorge on scraps and eat things you didn't bother to research if they were safe or not."

For all the old timers here with 30+ years of experience, it's great you have the experience and I appreciate you trying to help people with less experience. But new poultry owners are the future of the hobby, and it's best not to treat them like ignorant children if they have a different opinion than you.

As an aside, even the article you linked concedes that scraps/treats are fine if fed in small quantities.

 

[Michael Apple]

Yes. You still missed the point. Carry on. Instead of making yourself the center of attention by taking it personally, go back and read about feeding ham, milk, and a variety of other human foods that should not be given to chicks.

 

[dawg53]

I rarely post in this section. The thread headliner caught my attention and I read through its entirity. Michael Apple is correct. Feeding chicks human foods at such young ages is detrimental to their health. They should be fed a quality chick starter. Sodium content alone will cause many problems. Too much protein will eventually cause gout. I'll be in the "Emergency" section of this forum ready to respond when your birds become ill.

 

[Bellatrixed]

Yes. You still missed the point. Carry on. Instead of making yourself the center of attention by taking it personally, go back and read about feeding ham, milk, and a variety of other human foods that should not be given to chicks.

Okay then? I never said anything about feeding any of those foods to my chicks, so I'm not too worried.

As an aside, usually forum etiquette dictates that when one person's post is quoted, it means that person is being spoken to directly. But apparently it's "taking it personally" to respond to an inaccurate statement (that I said it was fine to feed chicks dairy, which I never indicated in any way).

It's all good though.

 

[gimmie birdies]

some people like to control things. some lady thought I should not feed my dog meat products "I would make him aggressive?" sounds like a question but it isn't.