hard boiled eggs fed to chicks

[Tony]

I read a few places here that hard boiled eggs fed to chicks is good for them. vitamins/protein etc. How old should the chicks be to eat it? 5 days old too young???
Also, do I feed shells too (mashed up of course) to give them a little "kick it up a notch" calcium for growing bones. If it matters, the chicks are leghorns,orpingtons and blue andulusians. thanks Tony

 

[newnanchic]

I do not feed them anything except for chic starter for the first 4 weeks. Someone else on here may have a different plan???? But I would wait!!!

 

[CUDA]

Yes, I would stick with the chick starter myself, and some chick grit. Definitely don't give them the shells. Boiled eggs are good for fowl, but you are best to stick with the starter until they are out running around on their own. JMO

 

[speckledhen]

I do on occasion start giving them tiny amts of finely chopped hardboiled eggs after they're about a week old, especially if I have not been able to get chick starter with animal protein in it. And I mean small amts, like a couple Tablespoons for a brooder full of chicks, then gradually increasing the amts. Hardboiled eggs are often recommended in an emergency when starter is not available.

 

[CUDA]

The problem with feeding the boiled eggs is the chicks won't necessarily eat everything, they you have egg material spoiling in your bedding. That's why I say not to do it, but that is JMO. If you do do it, make sure you keep your bedding extra clean. Good luck!

 

[speckledhen]

So true, you need to be sure they dont make a huge mess with it in the bedding. In small amts, they seem to find every last morsel, though, especially after they're hooked, LOL.
You do not feed shells to chicks, though. They do not need the calcium as youngsters. The egg is good quality protein, however, and won't hurt them a bit.

 

[Tony]

thanks everyone, I`ll hold off for a while then till they are older. Tony

 

[fivebigreds]

I started feeding eggs to my chicks from the day they arrived and have had no problems.
No problem except they turn from cute little fuzz balls to sharks when they learn what it is.

 

[speckledhen]

No problem except they turn from cute little fuzz balls to sharks when they learn what it is

Ain't that the truth! I've raised many batches of chicks with it and they've all grown up in glowing good health. Really, if you dont give them too much at one time, not too much gets lost in the bedding. They look for every morsel.​