How often should I offer snacks/treats?

[M.sue]

Good evening,
I've always given my chicks treats here and there ever since they were about 3 wks. old. They are now 9-10wks. old. I've found myself offering them treats more & more and they've come accustomed to me offering them. If they are free ranging the minute they see me they come a running and if they are in their pen they are at the gate expecting my offerings. I only offer them treats that are safe and use the treat chart I found on this site that someone so kindly posted for all us chicken lovers. My question...Do I offer them treats on a daily basis and how many times a day is safe? I don't want to over do it! Sometimes I've given them a treat around noon and then one in the evening. They are a joy to watch and quite hilarious when they're running here, there and everywhere with their treat in their beak trying to avoid the other would be snatchers. Like I said I don't want to over do it. Looking forward to some good advice!

 

[BoltonChicken]

Just don't overshadow their normal intake of a well balanced diet with treats. Don't feed you kids a nothing-but-candy diet.
Don't feed your chickens nothing but treats.
(This information from a guy who just fed his six week old BO's a hotdog bun and made friends for life). Ah well.

 

[nanawendy]

I agree w/ BoltonChicken I never fed the girls treats until afternoon, so they would eat the layer feed,,, THEN I got carried away w, integrating my flock and gave them too much. We're getting back to normal, but lesson learned.

oh BTW

 

[Roo on Harley]

Quote:
Agreed

 

[M.sue]

Common sense just as I thought. Thanks everyone for the input!!

 

[stargirl]

If my girls are really demanding treat, and I don't think they should have any, I mix a little bit or yoghurt in with their usual layers pellets in a 'treat bowl' and they wolf it down. Happy chickens, happy me!

 

[grandwake]

a great treat I just discovered is filling a little pie tin with their crumble (crumbled layer pellets) and adding water to make a them a soft mushy consistency. My girls went NUTS! and gobbled it all up. A treat that is their normal balanced food

I too am guilty of feeding my girls way to many treats. Home from college for the summer and still without a job I spent probably an unhealthy amount of time with them, always finding something new for them to peck at and enjoy.