Can I feed my week old chicks wheat bran flakes

[chickenchok]

I have some wheat bran (tiny flakes, they type used for baking) that I'm not using and thought my chicks might enjoy them. Do you think this is fine to add to some oatmeal and give them as a treat?
Thanks!

 

[PeeperKeeper]

I know it is tempting to treat these llittle darlings and considering that they'll eat anything else that falls in their brooder, I don't see a problem with it. Just do it in moderation because when they get full they may not eat their starter food which is what's best right now.
We started ours on some grit at one week old because they were getting moths and other bugs that wandered into their brooder at night. ( The warming lamp.

you know ?)
I know mine liked the oatmel flakes but it was much later I tried to give them some left over cereal, corn flakes I think, and they turned their little hen noses up!

 

[chickenchok]

ok, thank you!

 

[cmom]

I started mine on oats for treats, but I have always given them grit as a free choice. When they were young I gave them chick grit. Chickens do not have teeth. Their food goes, as is, into the crop, where it is slowly funneled into a very small " stomach" for some digestive additives--then to the Gizzard, where it is 'chewed', that is, ground into material that can be digested as it moves into the intestines and so on. The Gizzard is best able to break down whole grains and other chunky bits that they eat when full of grit. Longest lasting grit is Granite, that lasts well. All other rock and stone is so much softer, that it wears down fast and that is why granite grit is best choice, works really well for best utilization of feeds. My baby chicks are given free choice and they choose it with pleasure, baby grit is fine Granite, as soon as they are given anything besides Starter Crumbles. If you can't find any chick grit, then just smash up some regular granite or pigeon grit. Their tiny gizzards are at optimum function at an early age.