Help- broody hen NOT teaching chicks to eat chick starter.

[stuckinthecity]

My Little EE is once again broody with 5 "RIR" chicks (probably production red) and she's not eating the chick starter/teaching them to eat it. She'll "feed" them bread when I give her a piece, and when I sprinkled scratch on to the chick starter she immediately started making the "come here! come here!" food noise. but as soon as she scratches out all the corn and grain she'll stop. Any ideas? Will they just learn it and be fine? Should I stop worrying? lol

ETA- sorry I guess this should have been posted in the "raising chicks" category, but they did just hatch.

 

[Kittymomma]

Try giving them some scrambled egg. It's a very good first food for them and "mom" should be happy to get them going on it. She'll probably show them the regular feed soon too. Most of my broody girls don't start showing the chicks food for 24 hours or so after they hatch. They just keep their new family in the nest for the first day or two and then gradually start showing them around.

 

[Southernbelle]

The chicks will figure out where the food is; most chicks are raised in an artificial brooder and must find the food on their own. My broodies don't usually get excited about food unless it's a treat, too.

 

[FarmGirl01]

Mine does the same thing. The chicks will eat the starter on there own. Don't worry.

 

[stuckinthecity]

Thank Goodness! I was worried, bc it seemed like she was teaching them to eat the shavings..... and an impacted crop does not sound good to me. But thanks guys, I will get on that scrambled egg right now!

 

[goldnchocolate]

My mother hen didn't show her chicks how to eat the chick started either (she didn't like it) so I brought them chopped hard boiled eggs or scrambled eggs. Another thing that they loved was hunks of bread that were mixed into some beaten raw eggs. She immediately called them over to show them the food when I brought the eggs out. She hatched her chicks in the barn and she had them outside looking for other goodies at age 1 week. Good luck with your new babies.

 

[Mrs. K]

Mine was feeding 3-4 day old chicks grasshoppers today!