Do i need to add electrolytes to chicks water?

[Cacciatore]

You want to be careful when giving electrolytes to chicks as they can get electrolyte poisoning. I'm not sure how much is too much and for that reason I don't give it to mine. I do use a vitamin/mineral mix that I add a small amount to their water for the first couple of months.

 

[ralleia]

Mine get nothing but clean water and chick feed.

There's a certain amount of risk that you will introduce by adding anything to the water--certain vitamin mixes can spoil and thereby could make the water unhealthy to drink. Then there's the chance that you might overdo it (or get mix ratios wrong)--certain vitamins have toxicity at high levels.

Clean water is always safe to drink, so I keep it simple.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I only do vitamins and electrolytes in the water for chicks there were shipped or otherwise stressed before going into the brooder. They can use the extra boost. If I hatched them I don't bother since they're only traveling from the house to the workshop.