How can I get my 3+ wk old chicks to eat treats?

[mamaKate]

I've tried hand feeding. They love to eat chick starter or gravel from my hand but they won't eat parakeet treat, yogurt, donut crumbs, strawberries or anything else from my hand or their food dish.

 

[Imp]

mamaKate,
Often birds are afraid of new things. Keep offering treats and they will come around. They may need to get used to the color or shape. Sometimes they never get used to certain items. Mine won't even touch limas or asparagus. Go figure

Imp

 

[Umbral_Necropolitan]

I have a similar problem, my chickie won't eat crickets. When I try to give him one he runs from the cricket when it hops and gets flustered when I try to draw his attention to it.

 

[gritsar]

As the smart lil' Imp said, chicks are naturally afraid of new things. Leave the treats in with them for awhile. They'll overcome their fear. You can also try sprinkling some of what they are used to, their chick starter, in with the new treat.

 

[mamaKate]

Thanks guys. I'll be patient and keep trying.

 

[Umbral_Necropolitan]

What would be a good starter treat? I don't know how much of what to give, my chickie is between 2 and 3 weeks old. I mean would a slice of apple or strawberry be acceptable or should I try carrots or greens?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
IMO, the two best first treats are plain yogurt and chopped hard boiled or scrambled eggs. Both are good for them.
You want to limit the treats to about 10% of their daily food intake. Right now they need the complete nutrition of their chick starter.

 

[Umbral_Necropolitan]

Ok, thank ya for the info.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

My first treat at 3 wks was meal worms. I just held one in the palm of my hand where they could see it wiggle and before I knew it one chick came up and snatched it and ran around with it. Barred rocks were the first brave ones, then the buffs, one of the RIR's - had to dangle in front of the other RIR and one of the EE's. My sky is falling Henny Penny EE is too afraid to take one but will grab one if I drop it in the brooder and someone doesn't beat her to it.

Then I fed scrambed eggs in tiny worm like sizes and they loved that as well to the point of flying out on my back, arms, lap to get some.

 

[foweler]

Mine were a little older (6 weeks and 4 weeks) when I gave them some chick grit and them some mealworms.


After first getting their attention, they very quickly keyed in on the mealworms. I did have to throw the first few into their field of vision though. Then they would come and take them from my fingers. They will run up to me to see if I have any after that.

Next I tried yogurt. The couldn't figure out that it was in the dish but if I dipped a piece of straw in the yogurt and held it up the would be all over it.

I decided to use one unique dish for all of their treats so hopefully they would identify the dish with treats.

Then I put some mealworms in the dish. After hand feeding them a few I put the dish down and let them peck the rest out.
A couple of days doing this and I could put the yogurt in the dish and low and behold, they were on it.