Chicks won't eat?!?

[Ali Gator]

I just hatched some buff Orpingtons a few days ago. I have seen them drinking but they aren't eating. One chick has pecked at the feeder a few times but none of them have eaten out of it. What should I do to get them to eat?
Thank you!

 

[Ali Gator]

The feeder is just a small plastic bowl.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

It's possible they're still living off of the absorbed yolk. That can last up to 3 days.

 

[blucoondawg]

make sure they aren't eating the bedding or any grit you may have provided, bedding should be covered with newspaper or something until the chicks figure out what the food is, if you provide grit they could fill up on that as well and not leave room for food and starve to death, I don't give them grit until they are older and in the coop. Other than that I don't know what else to do I have never had chicks that won't eat.

 

[Frankie Ruiz]

This is normal. When I hatched my first time the chicks didn't eat for 3 days and I thought they should be since when I got my hatchery birds in the mail they ate right away. But they live off the absorbed yolk for about 3 days. They'll be fine.

 

[Ali Gator]

When I put bits of food on the floor they eat fine. But they immediately get up when they see it like they are hungry.

 

[fiddlebanshee]

I would put the feed on a paper towel for the first couple of days. Once they associate the taste with food and they are eating good, slowly transition to the feeder. Remember that they have no mother hen to show them what to do and their instinct says that food is on the ground, because that's how it is in the wild with most birds.

 

[Ali Gator]

I will try to do that. I hope it works!