how soon to add vinegar to chick water? and scraps to diet?

[samana]

I cant find much on this. When can I add vinegar to chick water (to help with disease etc), right away? a few days old?

Also can't find much on when it's appropriate to begin feeding scraps. Is there a certain period of time they should just be on their crumbles and nothing else? I have tons of scraps and yogurt I'm excited to mix into their diet - how soon can I do this?

 

[wolftracks]

I start it day 2.

Some people will say not to, but I give them water with a teaspoon to tablespoon, depending on size of waterer of sugar the first day.

I use 1 teaspoon of ACV starting the second day ad add another teaspoon about day 3 or 4.

Make sure they have grit if you give them treats. Make it something easy like raman noodles without the season packet or some dry oatmeal.

 

[FMAFarms]

I've never had to add vinegar to our chicks' water. Are your chicks having watery poops or dirrhea? There really is no reason to add it unless you need to encourage the growth of healthy flora in their intestinal tract.

Yogurt has the same effect as vinegar, but you can offer it in a more controlled manner. Use a lid and only offer plain yogurt with acidopholus in it, one tablespoon spread out on a lid. Too much yogurt can make your birds sick, so only give them yogurt once or twice a week. We got this advice from our state university's poultry research farm, and it's been right on.

Scraps... you'll want to chop these up into bits, or mince them for bantams. Apple peels, bell peppers, zucchini, cucumber are favorites. Never give them potato skins or potato anything, as potatoes make chickens sick. Also, if you are feeding something other than starter, be sure to give your chicks chick grit (Manna Pro makes a good commercial kind) and start the grit several days before you offer scraps. I start offering treats (chopped up peels and scraps) at two weeks of age. Be prepared for the chicks to ignore your offerings at first. Keep trying, though!

 

[FMAFarms]

One more thing. Remember that the treats don't take the place of the chicks' starter. They need their starter for proper nutrition and development.

 

[hsdiaz]

I gave them ACV and grit as soon as I brought them home, maybe 2-3 days old. I dug up some dirt from our yard and gave it to them in a pan...they really went after the earthworms, so figured they needed the grit. They ate it as soon as I put it out so they must know what they're doing, lol. Haven't had any pasty butt or other issues, knock on wood!

 

[wolftracks]

There have been lots of studies through the years and a great many people do use ACV in their water. It also cuts down on bacteria in the waterers(not metel.)

I have somewhere around 70 birds right now. I have 2 that will eat yogurt if I hide in in grains, feed and boss, The others may peck once, but come looking for something else. I've tried to get them all to eat it for over a year and nothing. I know other people have no problem with and I do still try to introduce it, but still those same two birds. I might have weird chickens lol

ACV is used on other livestock and animals also. It's good for the human's, helps regulate the immune system. There are a lot of sites online that you can find information on it and if it's your choice to use, you won't be sorry. It makes the feathers shiny and I've used it when aquiring chicks with pasty butt. A littl ein the water and grinding the starter a little finer helps to prevent it or clear it up.

I've used ACV forever. Even before I had chickens, but I had read and see studies in college about the use.

I think your best bet for young chicks as treats right now are boiled eggs. Some people will offer more. I give boiled eggs, noodles and clumps of sod including the dirt.

 

[hsdiaz]

Quote:
Mine don't like yogurt either, have tried giving it to them a few times. They just make a mess and walk all over it, then everything sticks to their feet :sigh

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Quote:
Potatoes, especially the skins (where the most nutrients are), are recommended by Patricia Foreman, author of Chicken Tractor and City Chicks. I have been feeding them to my chicks for the last two weeks and they love them and they have not been sick at all. Chopped, boiled potatoes with shredded carrots is their favorite treat food.

 

[samana]

With the suggestions to bring in dirt and sod from the yard - is this risky if they're unmedicated, or a good thing to build immune (or both haha)? Should I be cautious about any coccidiosis in the outdoor dirt?

Thanks so much for all the helpful responses. We make a lot of kefir (a form of yeasty yogurt) and am looking forward to supplementing their diet with it. Seems like the consensus is to start slow - and lots of dairy isn't the greatest, more of a treat it seems from what you all say.

I am doing un-medicated chick crumbles so I want to be particularly careful and help them in whatever way I can. I think the acv will be a great addition it seems (they'll be arriving tues).

 

[wolftracks]

Just make sure that it isn't lawn you've added chemicals to.