Bug eating?

[JennyDillyAnna]

What age is it okay for chicks to start eating bugs?

A spider fell into the brooder. The oldest (6 weeks) got it, the youngest (2 weeks) was trying to chase her down and steal it. I know table scraps aren't for a while.

Spider was about the size of a dime without the legs, a quarter with the legs. The youngest chick is my daughter's favorite.

 

[gritsar]

It's fine at the age they are now. If Mama Hen was rasing them she would have taught them all about gooey, yummy bugs from a few days old. If bugs are going to be on their menu regularly, just make sure they have access to grit in some form.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If they can swallow it I figure they're old enough.

I brood my chicks in an open bay of my workshop. During the warm times of the year the brooder lights attract a lot of bugs. Takes them about ten seconds to realize "them's good eatin'!" Pretty soon they're snatching them out of the air.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A big soft spider at 6 weeks! My wife gave ours a wasp when they were about 2 weeks old. The wasp did not stand a chance. I agree, though. They should have grit.

 

[shaggy]

if it is warm enough .... let them get outside and scratch around in the dirt --- they will pick up a few pebbles to help them digest stuff .... if it is warm enough

 

[JennyDillyAnna]

I've been reading about grit and thought they wouldn't need it until they were outside. Also with the two week old chick, is it the right time for it? Is her crop even developed or large enough?

We can't let the chicks out for a few days. The coop walls need to go up to fully close off the run and the hawk has been very active today. I can see the hawk nest from my property and s/he has been traveling quite a bit on the look out for food. S/He doesn't seem to care if a human is within feet of or holding the chicken when it comes to eating.

Is there a difference between chick and chicken grit?

 

[shaggy]

Quote:
when raised by momma hen they get pebbles and dirt on the first day they go out (equivalent of grit)


they don't really need grit until they start eating stuff that needs to be ground up (fibrous plant material ect.)

 

[gritsar]

You can do what I did when my older birds were chicks. Get a big shallow pan and find a nice spot on your property to dig up a clump of dirt, pebbles, and a few weeds and offer it to the chicks. They'll pick through it first to get all the goodies (including the "grit" they need to digest bugs) and then dustbathe in it.

 

[JennyDillyAnna]

Quote:
My area has good soil, decades of composting pine needles, over clay. Not a lot of pebbles and just enough sand for a good loam for my vegetable garden. I might have to bring soil and pebbles in. Thanks for the information, I'll have an area of their run pen set up for grit and dust baths.

So far the chicks have shown no interest in the grit I've provided.