Baby Chicks Not Eating Chick Starter

[MsBoPeep]

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie chicken owner and I need some advice because my week old chicks really seem to not like the chick starter and a lot gets wasted. I have the non-medicated chick starter by Manna Pro (this was all they had at our local feed store) and they do eat it but like I said they like to get in the dish and kick it around all over and leave the majority of it uneaten...everyone appears to be healthy and in good spirits but I'm nervous there might be some underlying issue!

 

[Isadora]

Chickens can get pretty messy when they eat. I bet they're eating enough, they just like to scratch it around. What kind of a feeder do you have? The ones I like to use for chicks have the barriers on top so they can't actually scratch the food out.
Something similar to this:

 

[MsBoPeep]

I've been using the lid to a mason jar but I do have a chick feeder..they seemed happier being able to get in it lol

 

[Isadora]

Oh yeah, understandable. They love to scratch through the food.

 

[MsBoPeep]

Oh ok, will they eat it all if it's in the feeder and they're not able to scratch through it you think? Thanks for your replies!

 

[Isadora]

By eat it all are you picturing that they will eat until the feeder is empty? As long as they can see the food, they're going to eat it. Personally I keep my feeders topped off so that it never gets empty, especially when the chicks are so little.

 

[Isadora]

And what breeds did you get? I always find it interesting to see what people choose to start out with.

 

[swamphiker]

Oh ok, will they eat it all if it's in the feeder and they're not able to scratch through it you think? Thanks for your replies!

Yes, they will eat it even if they can't scratch it. Putting it in a feeder (either store-bought or DIY) that keeps them from scratching will decrease food waste. This applies to all ages of chickens, but it's especially handy when you have chicks in the brooder because feed that is spilled and gets wet will get smelly quickly.

 

[MsBoPeep]

By eat it all are you picturing that they will eat until the feeder is empty? As long as they can see the food, they're going to eat it. Personally I keep my feeders topped off so that it never gets empty, especially when the chicks are so little.

Yes, I thought they would eat all of it and then I'd refill it once they finished it but they don't they just kick it around and leave a lot of it uneaten so I have been refilling it and taking out what they don't eat that's why I started wondering if they just didn't like it...forgive me if this seems silly lol I'm a nervous mom!! haha

 

[MsBoPeep]

And what breeds did you get? I always find it interesting to see what people choose to start out with. Rhode Island Reds and Black Sexlinks...not what I planned for but they had just come in at the feed store and I just caved because they were so cute haha