Chicks don't seem to be eating food because its too large

[chickenluver14]

So I got these chicks around a week ago, and the supplies we ordered to raise them just came (feeder, waterer, proper chick food, more heat) however, in the meantime, I have been improvising by giving them grown chicken food and crushing it up with a hammer, and they seem to be eating it fine. What I'm concerned about is that the news feed is pretty large, and the chicks seem to try to pick it up in their beaks but mostly end up failing. I thought that they probably just weren't hungry, but when we had the old feed, it looked like they were eating all the time. Now they just sleep underneath the heat lamp, so I thought it was maybe some sort of energy preservation thing, but now now I am concerned. I don't want to crush up this new food because, on the bag, it didn't say anything of the sort, so maybe it's better to let them learn how to eat bigger food. Sorry if this was all over the place, I am just really concerned rn.

INFO:
Chicken age: 7 days old
New chick feed: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V8ZT8BD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Roosterinthecity]

Exactly are you feeding them? What brand?
If I was concerned, I would crush it up a little bit more. Probably be best to give them 50/50. That way you can observe once they start eating the larger food yet don’t have to worry about them starving because at least they’re eating the crushed up food.
I am not an expert, but that’s what I would do because in my head it sounds like a sensible and reasonable thing to do.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Do you have a smoothie cup attachment to your blender? That works pretty good to turn it into mash. You can try throwing it in the blender, but the smoothie cup works better.

 

[Regina Larsen]

So I got these chicks around a week ago, and the supplies we ordered to raise them just came (feeder, waterer, proper chick food, more heat) however, in the meantime, I have been improvising by giving them grown chicken food and crushing it up with a hammer, and they seem to be eating it fine. What I'm concerned about is that the news feed is pretty large, and the chicks seem to try to pick it up in their beaks but mostly end up failing. I thought that they probably just weren't hungry, but when we had the old feed, it looked like they were eating all the time. Now they just sleep underneath the heat lamp, so I thought it was maybe some sort of energy preservation thing, but now now I am concerned. I don't want to crush up this new food because, on the bag, it didn't say anything of the sort, so maybe it's better to let them learn how to eat bigger food. Sorry if this was all over the place, I am just really concerned rn.

INFO:
Chicken age: 7 days old
New chick feed: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07V8ZT8BD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Do not give them adult food, particularly layer feed. It can harm them.
You can moisten chick feed with water for them to make it appealing and easier. They can have some crumbled egg yolk in it too

 

[LadiesAndJane]

I use a nutribullet to grind chick crumble for my newly hatched Silkies. Gradually adding regular sized chick crumble after the first week or so.

 

[Percheron chick]

Chicks have trouble with pelleted feed until they are about 3 weeks. Stay with a mash or wet down the pellets until they soften and fall apart.

 

[BlueBaby]

When I had some chick feed before that the pieces were too big for them, I used one of those electric coffee bean grinder's and it fixed the problem.

 

[chickenluver14]

Okay, so what I am getting from here is that I should grind the new food in a blender or put some water into it to soften it up. I will try these!

 

[BlueBaby]

Okay, so what I am getting from here is that I should grind the new food in a blender or put some water into it to soften it up. I will try these!

They have to eat.

 

[chickenluver14]

They have to eat.

They do, I just put some water in there food and they are already devouring it up.