Good treats for baby chicks?

[Kait27]

I'm new to this and trying to be as prepared as possible when the chicks arrive. I have a few questions about treats for baby chicks. I'm going to be tempted to spoil them right away and I want to do it in a way that won't harm them!

1. Is it better to wait as long as possible, at least to a week? I know things like hard boiled eggs have good protein, is that ok to give sooner?

2. Is it better to start them on soft treats that don't need grit, like yogurt and hard boiled eggs? What's the rule of thumb for what needs grit- if you could eat it without teeth, they can eat it without grit? Anything you'd give to a baby without teeth? Can they eat spaghetti without grit?

3. When's a good time to introduce foods that do need grit, and the grit itself?

4. When feeding yogurt, does it have to be a plain variety? I've seen pictures of adult hens eating what looked like blueberry yogurt. Can it be flavored? would chunks of fruit require grit?

Any more suggestions for favorite treats, and do they need grit, or not? I know about hard boiled eggs, yogurt, spaghetti and bugs (which do need grit, i know). I know people suggest oatmeal- is this cooked or raw?

 

[shaggy]

just for chick food (crumbles) they don't need grit


mine are around 2 weeks old ... i mashed up a hard boiled egg and gave it to them last night, they loved it

i tried to give mine yogurt ... but they didn't like it

 

[fshinggrl]

I just fed my 5 weekers chopped up strawberries!!! You should have seen the 'grab & chase!'

 

[mediazeal]

Mine are 3 1/2 weeks old
I was told to let them primarily dine on the crumbles as it has the nutrition they need in the early stages.

After 2 weeks I started giving them one treat a day.
*Chopped up hard boiled egg is definately the favorite right now.
*Plain yogurt (sugars/flavoring is hard for them to digest I hear).

This last week I have given them grit a few days (that is almost a treat by itself) followed by:
*worms from the garden
*crushed up cherrios

Egg and Yogurt do not need grit
most other things do.

Hope that helps

 

[Puff]

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.

 

[Russo's Roost]

My chicks are 1 week old, what about giving them grass clippings or dendelion flowers or a couple of spriggs from a spearmint plant?

 

[C_Dzchicks]

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.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Give them some grit, then throw in a single cricket. They'll watch it for a bit, then realize it's edible. Then let the fun ensue!

 

[BethESH]

I've done yogurt with my 2-week-olds. They LOVE it!

During my lunch hour, I went to Petco and got some small mealworms and crickets. Can't wait to give them to the babies!!!

 

[jenikay63]

I started giving my chicks treats at about 1 week old. The first was a slice of tomatoe, which they loved. I put it on a paper towel and set it in the brooder box and they went after it right away. There is alot of water in tomatoes so I figured it couldn't hurt them. The next thing I tried was craisins that I had cut in very small pieces. They went nuts over those too. Now they are almost 6 weeks old and I give them lettuce, squash, mushrooms, sliced oranges, melon, apples, avocados, raisins, grass clippings, bread, frozen raspberries, cucumbers, etc. The only thing I would not give them is potatoe peelings and any form of chicken. I have given them hard cooked eggs. I do not buy any of the above at full price; however, I do go to our local food distribution every two weeks at 6:00 a.m. and help unload a truck full of nearly expired food and then buy a share for $14 just so that I can have 'fresh' food to feed my chickens. I also give them whatever table scraps we have left, which isn't many---too many big eaters at my house.

They come running when they see me coming with their treats!