chicks and scratch

[delfargo]

how old do the chicks need to be before you can give them "scratch" grains? or can you give 'em a little right off the bat? thanx for the info.

 

[donnavee]

My 6 chicks are 8 wks old and I gave them a little the other day. They liked it a lot and no ill effects. I'm afraid to give them too much though, chick raising is still new to me some I'm cautious about every thing.

 

[delfargo]

i'm with you on that. i just got mine on saturday - they grow so fast, i just wanna make sure i'm doing this right. i think they would like the scratch, but i'm afraid to give them anything but the starter feed. i gave them some hard-boiled egg yolk and they loved that. gave 'em a little bit of lettuce from the garden and they didn't seem to know what to do with it. i just don't want them to get bored so i thought some scratch might liven up thier day.

 

[ranchhand]

Scratch feed is a heat producing snack, so I only give it during the winter. If your chicks are inside, no problem. Be sure to offer a little extra grit to digest it.

 

[WildWoodsWoman]

Make sure to give them chick sized grit so they can digest the scratch. They'd also love some greens. Tender green things like dandelion leaves and soft grasses in small amounts and finely chopped. I use a pair of kitchen shears to turn the goodies into chick sized salad.

 

[DTRM30]

If you give them anything other than their crumbles - you need to be sure they have access to grit. They need it to grind up and digest foods that don't dissolve on their own - such as scratch feed/table scraps/etc. pretty much anything other than their starter crumbles. If they have access to outside/free range - then their momma hen will be showing them how to scratch and eat sand/pebbles - so won't need the grit. If in a brooder - you will have to provide it - you can get it at most feed supply stores and it's not expensive. Be sure it's not oyster shell or any other calcium fortified grit. Chicks can NOT have calcium enriched foods/grit until they are old enough to start laying. Too much calcium will cause damage to their organs.