Good treats for baby chicks?

[HennyPenny2019]

I gave my girls a red wriggler (from my indoor composting bin). They are 5 days old and they went nuts for it. But then I read here there is some concern regarding parasites in worms! Ugh.

So, then mealworms looked promising but now the eat through stomachs!!

Grapes are poisonous to dogs so I held off on that.

I’m new to keeping chickens but I’ve kept a variety of birds for many years. One of my birds favorite treats is dried mealworms, also now a favorite of my week old chicks. I buy them at Rural King in a package and they stay good a long time because they are dried. I give them as a treat, so just a few twice a day. I hadn’t thought about boiled eggs, even though they are also a treat for my birds. Boiling an egg as I type.
So much good info on here.

 

[Erikalpowers]

They love Meal worms. I got a little can of 500 live ones form Wild Birds Unlimited for like $7. After they have eaten them all you should see them start to forage looking for more. Its a sight.

Also Crickets are really entertaining. If you can stomach it, you may have to tear off a back leg to make it catchable.

I just read your bio. I ALSO beside the chickens have 2 ACD, and 2 dachshunds.

 

[GinGia]

My chicks are 4 weeks old and their favorite treat is grapes, they pick them up from my hand and then run away with them. It's so much fun to watch.

I've read about grapes and how chicks and adults love them.

 

[Debra love]

I have the same questions. I didnt see grit in the feed shop and was embarrased to ask- do you just use sand or is there special 'chicken grit' products? Is there an amount to give or do you just 'free feed' it and trust that they know how much to eat? My big girls are almost 3 weeks old and have not had any treats- I would love to give them some. Would giving hard boiled eggs teach them to enjoy the taste of egg? will they eventually ruin their eggs when they are laying because they like the taste?
thank you!

I am afraid Ididn’t understand about grit either. I better get some
do you just sprinkle it with the food?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Provide grit in a separate dish, they will take what they need. As for the eggs, a boiled egg does not taste, smell or feel at all like raw egg. Go ahead and feed it, it does not make them desire raw eggs. But of course do not feed raw eggs!

 

[Yav]

I’m no expert but to further an earlier point. AVOCADO is toxic to most birds. That and chocolate. (An early poster said he gave avocados as treats...... it’s the first thing that comes up when you google what NOT to feed!)

Most birds (I have ducks, chickens and parrots) love all the same stuff as us so pretty much everything other than avocados and chocolate are fine - but everything in moderation. If you overfeed treats they can start being picky about what should be their main diet.

 

[ChickForLife]

When should I start putting chick grit with my chicks, like how old should they be?

 

[Yav]

No harm in putting it in early. Scatter it out for pecking. Put a bit in the crumb. The chicks will figure it out. I stash crushed oyster shell in flower pots in the garden , ducks and chickens will find it, and it looks nice.

With chicks u can use coarse sand

 

[BigBlueHen53]

When should I start putting chick grit with my chicks, like how old should they be?

I put chick grit in a heavy little dish with straight deep sides, kind of like an individual souffle dish, when they are about four or five days old. Then a few days later I start scattering a little crushed meal worms for them to find as they peck and scratch.

 

[Cryss]

I distract the flock by scattering a corn or boss snack so that I can get into the adjacent run without them following. Mama Doris and new babies are in there. Mama was begging for a bit of cracked corn. I scattered a bit to her but babies went for it too. Don’t be too harsh, these are my first baby chicks ever. I’m going to have to get some fruits. Hmmmm what about canned green beans? Salt free of course.