Can I feed my chicks corn?

[ssafehavens]

My chicks are nearly a month old and they LOVE when I feed them little bits of spinach. I mix some grit into their food as well as a few meal worms.

I’ve started adding a splash of ACV to their water since I just found out that too much spinach isn’t good for laying chickens.

I had one head of corn and I put it in a tiny bowl. They have no interest in it as of yet, they’re still scratching around and eating bits of spinach they dropped, but I was wondering if it’s safe to occasionally give them a bit of corn? Also, do you feed your chicks/chickens spinach? And is there a specific ratio of ACV to water?

 

[21hens-incharge]

There ate a ton of reasons to limit treats.

Corn is very high in sugars and low in protein. I do give my grown hens some during corn season. BUT I limit it to 1ear of corn for ten hens and only once a week.

I would keep treats to no more then 10% of the birds daily food intake.

Birds can develop fat on the liver which causes fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome. It is a fatal condition where the blood vessels burst and the bird bleeds to death internally.

Mine don't like spinach but do like swiss chard, cabbage, apple, watermelon, cantaloupe and of course meat.
I never give meat scraps that have salt either.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You can but I wouldn't. Chicks should be on a complete starter feed - exclusively. At that age, I would put the grit in a separate container and they're big enough for #2 grit.

Corn is about 8% protein. Starter is about 18% crude protein. Supplanting the feed with any amount of corn/grain, greens, fruit or other low protein foodstuffs can lower the protein below what is necessary.

I feed my adult birds all sorts of things including spinach during winter when there is no forage available.

If I use ACV, I use a tablespoon per gallon.