Chicks don't like the cumbles..

[hemolymph]

My chicks won't eat the crumble food, they only like the food when I grind it up into a powder. Have I created picky chicks? I think they are 2 1/2 weeks old now.

Also, should I put some sort of "perch" in their brooder for them to have something to fly onto?

 

[Higins00]

Start to mix the crumple food into the ground up stuff. They will get used to it. A perch would be great, I use sticks from outside and bar it across their cage. They love it

 

[BrattishTaz]

I usually grind the chick starter for two weeks as well. I just thought the crumble looked too big.

I'm just overprotective I guess.

To switch them to the regular crumble, just put it in the feeder and walk away. They will eat it when they get hungry. Or you could just start slowly adding crumble to the powder if you prefer.

Chicks love to have little roosts in the brooder. Just make sure it doesn't put them too close to the heat lamp.

Edited to say: Higins beat me in posting.

 

[hemolymph]

Thanks to you both, I appreciate the advice. A few days ago I put just the crumble in their bowl and when I came home that evening they hadn't touched it! Must of been at least 6 hours later.. So I got worried...
I'll do half and half and see. I hope they won't starve themselves!!!

 

[BrattishTaz]

Quote:
I'm surprised they went that long. I usually have one brave one that tries new things. The rest follow soon after.
Keep us posted.

 

[arohli]

I was lucky, and all my chicks took to their crumbles right away. I put a perch in the brooder a when the chicks were a few days old, and they started using it right away. It's only an inch or so above the floor, so it's good a good practice roost. My chicks are 2 weeks old now, and 5 of my 7 chicks always sleep on the roost bar now. It's really cute.