Can 18 day old chicks eat scratch?

[MonsterClucker]

I just put my 3 week old cornish x chicks outside in their grow out pen and I was wondering could I throw some scratch on the ground for them to eat or is it too early?

Thanks a lot BYC!.

 

[chickencoop789]

I think its too early. Scratch is cracked corn and big things like corn might be hard on a chicks digestive system. I would say 5 weeks would be a good time to give them scratch. But you can give them things like bugs and greens now.

 

[mississippifarmboy]

You could, but not recommended.

Scratch should only be a treat at any age, but they can eat it very young. I've had chicks hatched under broodies come eat scratch at treat time. I never feed it to our incubator chicks until at least a week or so after they leave the brooder though, around 6 weeks old, then only sparingly.

At that age, if I was going to feed a treat it would be a tiny bit of crumbled cornbread.

JMHO


edited to add; they have to have grit to digest grains too, so I always offer grit a week or so before offering any type grains.

 

[JoshU]

I think its too early. Scratch is cracked corn and big things like corn might be hard on a chicks digestive system. I would say 5 weeks would be a good time to give them scratch. But you can give them things like bugs and greens now.

I have chicks that eat whatever the big birds do since they are broody babies. My only suggestion would be to make sure they have sand or very small stones available. They eat corn and broken boss on day one. Never had any issues.

 

[JoshU]

I have chicks that eat whatever the big birds do since they are broody babies. My only suggestion would be to make sure they have sand or very small stones available. They eat corn and broken boss on day one. Never had any issues.

And just so nobody freaks out I do have chick starter available too. They would rather eat whatever dad and mom are eating though.

 

[BackyardFarmMom]

On the scratch bag it says "for chickens 8 weeks and up." I have fed it to chicks at 5-6 weeks with no issues. Mine get to free range quite a bit so they get to pick up dirt and stones with their food.
I would wait a little longer... but mealworms are fun to eat!!! Freeze dried or alive!
I put sand in the brooder (in a frisbee) before they could go outside... That was good fun too! I would bury some mealworms to let them skrit around in it... Too funny!

 

[mattblackburn]

I wouldnt feed chicks in a brooder scratch till 8 weeks. If they run with the big hens it wont kill them but offer them what they need (medicated starter) as well or grower when ready to move up to grower.

As for meal worms I love my go pro hd waterproof camera, i set it up and leave it everywhere and see what i catch.

Here is a demonstration of what my 5 week old chicks think about dried meal worms!!

http://mattblackburn.net/?p=464