Bacon grease (fat) supplement to starter?

[DenverBird]

I've got chicks in the brooder in the garage and am thinking of mixing a little bacon grease into a special batch of starter. Maybe mix 2 - 4 Tablespoons bacon drippings to a cup of starter, and add about a tablespoon or two per chick daily to their feed to help the chicks ward off the chill.

For comparison the starter has 2.5% fat. I'd like to give them the chickie equivalent of a good bacon breakfast daily...

Has anyone had experience doing this or know why one should not?

Thanks in advance,

-DB

 

[Ema]

chicks should not require anything else but chick starter for the first few weeks of their life, they also need grit...if the chicks are in a good brooder with a heat lamp at the correct temps then they will not be cold.

I would be weary in giving them bacon grease at such a young age, hard to say how their small system would handle it. I have made suet blocks for my older hens but I don't even give them that much of the bacon grease. I do notice it gives them loose stools so I would be afraid to introduce this to chicks who could easily dehydrate quickly...

Ema