Crickets, Worms, & More

[mommto3kiddos]

So my two boys were playing outside today and came in with a bucket full of worms and crickets and a few other bugs and wanted to give them to the chicks and ducklings.. Thing is I have no clue if they can have stuff like that at this age...

Thoughts???

 

[superchemicalgirl]

How old are they? (the poultry, not the kids). I usually start feeding treats at around a week. Just remember that if their mom raised them they'd be eating bugs as soon as they were out of the nest (a few days).

Make sure they have chick grit available and that the bugs are small enough to get down their beak or cut them up.

 

[classicsredone]

Just make sure that they have access to chick grit, and they should munch up little crickets and worms like crazy. Mine go crazy for red worms!

 

[mommto3kiddos]

Chicks are about 2 weeks old. They still have their Chick starter, do I need to put grit in too? Figured the small crickets and worms would offer them some fun food action..

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Yes, they need grit as soon as they start to eat anything other than chick starter.
I prefer to sprinkle it on the food because if I put a dish of it down they attack it.

 

[Paraclete]

Yeah, I have some baby chicks that are a few weeks old, little over 2 weeks as it is. When I do some lawn work I find worms and grubs, pill bugs or rolly pollies, I toss them in for my lil girls, they don't really know what to do until they start moving, then they go crazy for them. Lil girls get a worm and then run all over their cage trying to keep it away from the others. They're already scratching around so I'd say they're already in the mood for such things.

 

[mommto3kiddos]

Quote:
My girls are scratching too, thats why I was thinking they would like them.. Guess I will go get some grit tomorrow and see what they do..lol

 

[bairo]

my newest ones are a month old and It was just today warm enough to go to the yard for some red worms. It's a real spirit raiser to see them with their first live treats....I say go for it and myself will usually start live treats at about two weeks old. DONT FORGET THE VIDEO CAMERA THOUGH... YOUR GOING TO WANT TO GET IT WHEN YOU FIRST DROP THAT LIE FOOD TO THEM, LOL It will have you laughing for a week everytime you think of how they acted!!