Can you feed chicks scraps?

[Chicabee19]

When (if) I can find 2 chicks to bring home, I'll go get some medicated chick food from the Feed & Grain, but....

I'm wondering if you can also give them stuff from the yard/kitchen like weeds, bits of grass, boiled eggs, crackers, and so on?

 

[willkatdawson]

It's my understanding that around 3 weeks the chicks as well as future adults can have treats from the "treat List". The treat list is on Index - Feeding Time on the top of the first page. Mine just turned 4 weeks old and today I gave them a raw corn on the cob they looked like piranha. The cob was picked clean in no time. Also don't forget meal worms. They'll sit down and roll over for those.

 

[Ladysonja]

Good Question...

Like the other poster, it's best to keep them on chick feed (med or non-med) until at least 4 weeks old.

After that, I let them have treats from the treats list in moderation.

They do love corn on the cob! Mine got their first one last night and they went bananas!

 

[silkie-mom]

Best to avoid treats until they are a bit older. You can pretty much give them anything, but try to avoid anything high in sugar and/or salt.
I also stay away from highly processed things like hot dogs, velveeta, stuff like that.
They love wheat bread and can eat that as peeps if you absolutely can't resist giving them a treat as babies. Once they are about 5 weeks you can start spoiling them with table/people food.

 

[Chicabee19]

oh gosh... I love your avatar!

 

[ravenfeathers]

i started mine on fresh, quality treats much younger than most people here recommend because i wanted to mimic a natural chicken lifestyle as much as i could. i started with small quantities of well chopped or mashed veggie scraps from my own dinner and moved on from there, offering grit free choice. they also got outside in the grass, weather permitting, starting at only a week old and nibbled grass, caught bugs, etc. IMO, as long as you're feeding a good quality diet and providing constant access to fresh water and a suitable grit for the age, you can mix it up with treats whenever you like. when a hen hatches out her chicks, she doesn't keep them on medicated starter for x weeks before moving them over to other foods.

 

[Chicabee19]

thanks... I do plan on taking my chicks outdoors as soon as possible. We could still have 2 months of good weather, so as long as it's not raining they could start going out for short periods in the sun as soon as I get them.