Can chicks have treats? If so what kind?

[GardenState38]

Speaking of clover, my girls go bonkers for it!
They strip it clean in seconds.
I am actually running out of it in my garden beds, because I've picked so much of it for them.
It's a good motivation for me to keep my beds weeded, but I'm actually thinking about planting an entire bed of clover, just for my spoiled girls.
Clover also makes for a darker egg yolk.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Ok thanks

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

I am NO expert...I have 11 birds who hatched on Feb 4 and one of them hatched 4 babies Sept 8. THOSE babies free range with the flock just like my grannys and her grannys and they eat all the same stuff the rest of the flock gets. Now here is the thing for me: The big girls DO NOT want to share the choice treats with the babies and push them off so they dont get about 75% of what is out there if they are just finding it or I throw it to them! They are all super happy and healthy as far as I can tell!

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Thanks so much for your help

 

[curious1969]

I have to agree..mealworms seem to be a big hit. I have some silkies that are 6 days old and they go nuts if I put mealworms in for them. Funniest thing ever

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[willowbranchfarm]

Yeah my friends does mealworms. What age can they have them?

 

[real_redhead]

When mine were chicks they loved uncooked oatmeal!

 

[Judy]

First of all, here's our treats chart:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

Two things to keep in mind: they need lots of their feed. Not over 10% a day in treats, is the rule of thumb. Theoretically, their entire diet could be "treats" -- but you would have to be sure it was nutritionally well balanced, an impossible task (IMO) without a bird-specific nutritional knowledge base, and careful measuring.

Also, chickens are lactose intolerant, so fresh milk will give them a bellyache and diarrhea, except in very small quantities, much like people. They simply don't produce lactase, which is needed to digest lactose. Things like yogurt and aged cheese supposedly have had the lactose broken down, but I'm not sure even natural yogurt doesn't have some milk in it. I've given yogurt in small quantities, not over 1 tsp per adult bird, without a problem. And of course the probiotics in any live culture yogurt ( or buttermilk or kefir, etc.) are good for them.

Other than that, I give whatever I have that's in small enough pieces they won't get choked on it. No reason not to give a young chick mealworms -- but I don't really know how big they are and I might chop them up.

 

[willowbranchfarm]

Thanks that covers everything lol

 

[billfields]

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