Feeding Chicks

[amcstay]

I'm new at this, and my chicks are only a week and a few days old. I have been feeding them chick starter, but am getting a bit frustrated... they keep tipping over their bowl and dumping food in their box - which of course they then don't want to eat. Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping thier bowl in place. They even tip their water bowl over.... Are they needing to perch, if I give them a perch in their box, will this help? Also, when can I start giving them treats like bread and veggies?

Thanks!

 

[Whirlwind]

Hi I also have babies. Are you using a regular bowl to feed and water them? I have a chick feeder that a quart jar screws on and also the waterer that the jar screws on and they have not dumped either over yet. I think a roost wouldnt hurt If you want to put one in there. My chicks are 2 and 3 weeks old. They do ocasionally get on top of both but still havent knocked them over.

 

[ChickaD]

I'm not an expert, but I'd hold off at least a few weeks before giving them any food besides their chick starter. Giving veggies is tricky when they're very young, as it can give them diarrhea. When they are a little older, crumbled bread is a good start for a treat, just so it doesn't make up too much of their diet.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I agree. Here is a picture of my brooder. The chicks were 3 days old. I use a trough feeder and plastic waterer. With my bigger girls I waited until they were a month old before I gave them any treats. I also gave them chick grit when I started giving them anything besides their starter feed.

 

[Linda in San Diego]

yep, go for the non tippy feeder! Once I switched we wasted much less food - it was amazing!

 

[amcstay]

Thanks for the advice. I went out yesterday and bought a small round feeder and it has worked much better! As for the water, I just moved them to a bigger box and put their gallon plastic waterer in there and it seemed to solve the problem. Went and bought chick starter too. They seemed to like it more - or maybe they were just hungry!

Thanks again!