Chickens don't seem to like treats!?!?!?!

[Newchickenmom&kids]

Ok...just for fun we gave our birds some bread...just a little and today we tried some small pieces of lettuce. They MIGHT pick it up but that's about it!! Are my birds being weird?? We have 4 pullets and 1 roo...they are about 6-8 weeks old.

 

[keljonma]

I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially the lettuce. It is mostly water and too much can cause diarrhea. Personally, I try not to feed too much bread.

Most chicks are leary of new experiences. Once they feel comfortable, they will be fine. Once you let them outdoors, they'll eventually start to nibble on grass, clovers, dandelions and juicy bugs.

When we first gave our chicks some cut up tomato, they played their favorite game- CHASE ME! also known as HAHA I HAVE IT & YOU DON'T!

Make sure that you are providing grit if they are eating anything other than commercial feed.

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

They are outdoors and have been for weeks. They do enjoy eating the grass and whatever else they seem to find in the yard. We have them in a tractor which we move often. I wasn't feeding them the lettuce or bread for nutritional value but more because of all the stuff i've read in the threads about the kind of "treats" other chickens seem to like. Maybe they just need to be older...I don't know.

 

[PurpleChicken]

My 1 to 3 week old chicks go crazy for treats. We feed them cooked rice, english muffins, pasta, moths, and today a silkie ate her first grub. I mean they really go crazy. They are little eating machines. They'll rip a piece of lettuce to shreds and they are still babies. One difference may be that they are in a brooder inside the house and are held and hand fed constantly.

 

[keljonma]

Newchickenmom&kids :

They are outdoors and have been for weeks. They do enjoy eating the grass and whatever else they seem to find in the yard. We have them in a tractor which we move often. I wasn't feeding them the lettuce or bread for nutritional value but more because of all the stuff i've read in the threads about the kind of "treats" other chickens seem to like. Maybe they just need to be older...I don't know.

We started feeding our chicks organic veggies for treats when they were about 5 weeks old, so I don't think age has anything to do with it.

I wouldn't worry about them not eating treats. I think the reason your birds didn't go ga-ga for the treats was that they are already getting what they want - grass and juicy tidbits from the yard.

My flock's all-time favorite treat is plain yogurt w/active cultures with crushed garlic and chopped tomato in it.

About treats, my personal feeling is that they are like giving a small child sweets. It isn't something you do all the time, but in moderation is fine. As I've mentioned numerous times on this board, we provide a great variety of "treats" to our flock. Sometimes I think our birds eat better than we do, because they forage our farm from sunup to sundown. However, their 17% protein organic layer feed is the main source of their diet.

Most importantly, remember that everything they eat or are given to eat will affect the protein level in their diet.​

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

keljonma....I agree with your 'philosophy' regarding treats. I just thought it would be kewl to see them go nuts over something as I've read on this site. I will keep trying different things from time to time but as you said...they do seem to be getting what they need and are really thriving so I'm not really worried...just more curious. We treated them to a pan full of dirt today and boy oh boy did they love that!! Their FIRST dust bath!! It was neat to watch! Thanks everyone for your advice and help! This is a great site!!! I tell everyone about it...even if they don't have chickens!!!