chicken food

[chittyn]

this is my first time with baby chicks. They are now 3 weeks old an i am enjoying every day with their company. So far i have been feeding them chick crumble only. What food do i feed them next when can i give them scraps worms ect thanks

 

[bikerchic]

Scrambled, or boiled eggs are always a hit with my peeps. Even though my kids protest at the thought!

 

[chittyn]

thanks will give that a try . But what should i give them as their main diet ?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If they'll be layers, they should stay on grower exclusively till laying commences. Then Layer feed. Free range is good but anything else you give diminishes perfect nutrition.

The label on the grower should give a graph or instructions for proper feeding. Over 60 years of intensive scientific nutritional research went into that bag.

 

[PinkHairGirl]

I think that I gave mine worms at about 3 weeks, they liked those but were not that keen on any other treats I tried
I think I moved them from the very fine feed at about 3 weeks too, I got the next stage of chicken feed. It is cut up a bit not crumbs anymore, I think I mixed it in the beginning and then made the crumbs less and less as I went along

 

[Frenchchickens123]

Hi, chicks can be fed crumble up to 8 weeks then moved onto growers and presuming they are layers, they can go on to layer pellets at around 20 weeks. Chicks will love eggs, worms and vegetable scraps if it's in small bits. Be careful as some vegtables or vegetable parts are poisonous for chickens. If you google it you will find the list have fun with the chicks!

 

[cmom]

Quote:
This is what I do. Others may do it differently.

Starter crumbles up to 8 weeks.
or
Starter/Grower, until I get my first egg .
or
Grower Crumbles or pellets from 8 weeks until you get your first egg.

Layer from first egg on and free choice Oyster Shells. They will take what they want and need.

I use medicated Starter/Grower. I feed it to the birds until I get my first egg then I switch over to Layer. If I have any Starter/Grower or Grower left over when I get my first egg, I mix in the leftover feed with the Layer feed. I have never had any problems. The amprollium in the Starter or Starter/Grower helps in the chicks development in their resistance to cocci. It is sulfa based. There is only a problem eating the eggs layed by the birds that have had the medicated feed when they start to lay if you have any allergies to Sulfa.

I give my chicks treats from a very early age. When I start giving them treats I also put out some chick grit for them which I buy at Tractor Supply Company.

Here is the link to BYC Chicken Treat Chart.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

 

[ScottyHOMEy]

Quote:
If they're layers, keep them on the starter feed until they start to lay, then transition them over to a layer feed, supplemented with free-choice oyster shell.

Any treats should be extended in careful measure (so as not to displace too much of their critical diet) and only offered if they've had access to a grit beforehand for their gizzards to digest them. Mealworms, crickets from the pet store, grasshoppers from the yard. Short lengths of cooked spaghettti from the kitchen. All more entertaining for us than nutritive for the birds.

Fine on occasion, but the boring crumbles are better for them.

 

[debs_flock]

I think the first treat I gave my girls were dandelion leaves. It is still one of their favorites and they go crazy for them.

Deb

 

[FenDruadin]

Mine ADORE wild bird seed, especially the little bitty round seeds. I only give them a little each day because it's not balanced nutrition, but they come running to my hand every time to see if there is bird seed for them. Also, be sure you offer them grit for their gizzards if you're supplementing with treats--otherwise they won't be able to digest it.

Good luck!