Chicks won't eat treats I give them :(

[ashleyrae211]

I have heard hard boiled egg is a great treat, they would come over to smell it...nothing. Then while they were "smelling" again I would rub it on their beaks....still nothing. Then one pecked at it, shook it's head and never came back for more. Then I put it in a bowl, because maybe they didn't want to eat it out of my hand. They never touched it. SAME thing happened with a banana....I want to start associating me with good food, so they like me when they get older and I can hold them if I want, and they will be nice...but I heard feeding treats is a good way. but they won't eat it.

Anyone know why? or how to train them to eat other foods?

 

[kellysmall87]

With mine, I make a noise - a clicking sound - then I give them mealworms (dried for me! not live.. ugh)

Now, as with my other chickens, they come to the sound of the clicking noise I do as they associate the noise and therefore, me, with good grubs. They also like sweetcorn.

 

[Zigmont]

Get meal worms from the pet store. They will go nuts! Once they understand that you give them good snacks, you won't need to feed them wiggly worms and they will eat from your hand. Mine love dog food! The moist and meaty play doh type, but I had to start with the meal worms. They're really cute when they chase each other to steal the worms. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

what i used to do in the past when I had baby birds as in cockatiels ect I would only put in as much as i thought they would eat or taste. And just leave it in their cages for an hour but no more than that for fresh foods. I would even take frozen mixed veggies and add hot water to them till they defrosted a bit. After a day or so they started getting curios about what I was putting in the cage.
I would take their seed out so all they had was what food i put in.

take cooked spaghettie and let it hang down in to the cage, so they will play with it and eat it at the same time. You can even string the mixed veggies on some good thick thread. My daughters used to love doing that for them. We tried to make it like a game for them. Give it time and they will start eating the treats specially if they can see the older chicks or your adult flock eating it as well.
Rokiin R Farm

 

[Blue EE]

How old are the chicks? Young ones who have not started with grit in the diet yet cannot eat other foods yet.

 

[ashleyrae211]

I will try meal worms. They are over a week and they actually eat the grit, so they should be fine with other foods.

Thanks

 

[kellysmall87]

My chicks were funny the first time i gave them a whole mealworm (as usually I crush them up.) They ran around the brooder chirping not knowing what to do with the thing!