Feeding Newly Hatched Chicks Raw Egg

[CrazyChickenLadySue]

I recently had 2 poorly chicks and it was suggested to me to feed them raw egg yolk to try and pick them up.

Now hatching out of an egg is hard work and stressful.

What I am considering is whether it may be beneficial to chicks once they start eating and drinking is to feed them raw egg for a few days alongside their pellets and water as a tonic to recover quicker and give them a better start. Eggs obviously contain very beneficial protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

What does everyone think?

All comments and opinions valued and respected.

 

[nuthatched]

Not really. It's good for ailing birds or new chicks but is too rich for everyday.

 

[CrazyChickenLadySue]

I was considering only giving it for a few days when they first start feeding possibly up till they are 5-7 days old or maybe even just a couple of days.

I was considering this as some of the chicks I hatched recently had abnormalities which the vet deemed nutritional deficiencies caused by inadequate feeding from people I bought eggs from.

Egg obviously contains a rich source of B vitamins which the vet thinks these abnormalities stemmed from. Some of these abnormalities only showed up following hatch so I was considering routine short term supplement with egg to correct and possible future deficiencies and possibly prevent some future deaths. Supplement with egg is far more natural and easily digested by the chicks than vitamin supplements which aren't always well absorbed.