crickets for chicks?

[Shelly Chip]

I bought my chicks a dozen crickets today and they went nuts chasing the crickets around their trough. I have one chick who is almost a week old and two that are almost two weeks old. I have seen them eat bugs that fall into the trough. Is it ok to give them crickets occasionally?

 

[Kelsie2290]

As long as they have access to grit, and you don't feed them a ton of crickets (any treat should be fed in moderation) they will be fine. If they were raised by a broody and outside, they would be catching all the bugs they could. They sure do enjoy the chase and it gives them practice to be good little bug hunters later on.

 

[New Flockman]

I'm no expert but ours love crickets. It's good training and exercise anyway. We have a gob-o-grasshoppers around right now and the chickens are lovin' it... our two 2-month old chicks especially.They relentless little big-hunters They can squeeze thru the chicken fence now (they don't go far and they are just about too big, so that will be over very soon) and get 'hoppers the big chickens can't reach. It was fun watching Momma Bea catching 'hoppers and tidbitting the chicks when they were younger. And when I'm working in the yard and find big 'hoppers, I collect some and feed them to the flock and get to see true chicken love. The little ones often get one ot two if they are quick. Bugs are all-natural protein ... what's not to like?