⠀ Electrolytes and probiotics?

[Kristin228]

When I first get my chicks should I put electrolytes and probiotics in their water? To be safe or what do you guys suggest? I'd love to hear your advice! Thanks!

 

[PD-Riverman]

When I first get my chicks should I put electrolytes and probiotics in their water? To be safe or what do you guys suggest? I'd love to hear your advice! Thanks!

OK, I am sure you can and will get a lot of different thoughts/replies on this. I will say I have raised 1000's and 1000's and 1000's of good healthy chicks on just plain water and feed. I think I bought some of that costly(for a few 1000) stuff a long time ago. The chicks I kept grew to fine healthy chickens. I see so many people I have sold chicks to--telling me how fine their flock is. That's My input.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I use electrolytes with vitamins on new hatch chicks. I purchased a pound bag at feed store for $6 maybe. It goes a long way as we only provide it for first two waters from hatch and during the hottest week of summer.

It's nice to have but certainly not essential. Would chicks perish without it? Survey is out on that. You'd need hundreds of birds to see a difference. It only provides an energy boost so they eat their food. The feed is what makes them healthy and strong but if your tired and weak you don't even want to eat. A boost of electrolytes and vitamins will get them eating especially in late July when all they want to do is sit under the shade and dig in the cooler ground.