Bugs & Veggies?

[chickie_momma]

When can you safely start to give the chicks bugs and raw veggies??

Mine are only 1 day old so I know it is too ealy for them....

 

[pipermark]

After they have had access to grit. However, as Wes use to say, the best thing for your chicks is starter feed, and no snacks. Snacks can fill them up (kind of like kids) and they will not eat enough starter. This feed has been scientifically developed to provide the optimum nutrition for you babies and really is the best thing for them , unless of course you getting it from the mechanic down the block thats making it in his garage.

 

[Steve1960]

I have 14 Dominiques that I turned loose three weeks ago at 6 weeks old. They've been eating bugs, grass, frogs, raw and cooked sweet corn and an occassional tomato since. The amount of starter they consume has dropped significantly. I am curious as to what the scientist says the implications of them eating all this other stuff will be. I have a difficult time with all this science around chicken feed. I guess I believe that living creatures know better what's good for 'em than a scientist does. I'm being sincere, not condescending, and am interested in feedback.

Thanks

 

[BJ]

Quote:
Steve1960, I agree with you. Chickens were free ranging 100 years ago and got what they needed from Mother Earth. I think sometimes we (chicken parents) kinda overdo it with worrying about what and how much to feed. The chickens seem to be able to pick and choose what is best for them, provided they have plenty to choose from!!

 

[cmom]

From another post.

When my chicks were about 2 wks old, I started them on chick grit .My baby chicks are given free choice and they choose it with pleaure, baby grit is fine Granite, as soon as they are given anything besides Starter Crumbles. Their tiny gizzards are at optimum function at an early age. I couldn't find any chick grit, so I smashed up regular granite grit fairly fine. First I gave them some small pieces of lettuce as I had a lot in my garden. They picked at it. I started giving them vegie scraps cut up pretty fine too. At first they just picked at everything. I had some grubs in my compost so I tried them and the chicks went crazy for them. I guess it boils down to trial and error. Just make sure if you give them anything, be sure to give them chick grit too.