How young is too young to feed chicks food vegetables

[Kellyjenny]

Hi there just wondering if I can give my 25-day-old chicks treats like vegetable to pick on cabbage melon. Any suggestions

 

[HappyClucker7]

You can, as long as they have access to grit and the pieces aren't too big.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As long as they have grit available, you can treat them with small amounts. Keep in mind their feed supplies all the nutrition they need, so you don't want to dilute that down with too many snacks.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Agree with the above comments...and will add that if they aren’t interested in the treats, try again in a few weeks. Sometimes it takes them a little bit to try something new, especially when that young.

 

[Percheron chick]

It's a great time to introduce them. Gives them some valuable entertainment.

 

[Kiki]

Remember that treats, any kind, take away from them getting a balanced diet.
A balanced diet is BEST.

If you feed anything besides a complete balanced diet (the age appropriate poultry crumble feed) you need to keep the amount very small. An adult bird should not get more than a tablespoon worth per day.

I highly recommend not feeding chicks any type of 'treat' at all.

 

[they_were_seen]

I went outside and got a handful of dirt with ants and worms in it, picked some oregano and kale, and finely chopped oregano, kale, some cauliflower, broccoli and carrots, and then give it all to the little babies. Mine are exactly 3 weeks old today. Hoping I fed them right

I really don't understand why there's the idea of if you "overfeed" them veggies then their diet can become unbalanced. If I eat too many veggies, it doesn't do me harm... Newbie asking here

 

[Kellyjenny]

If you feed them too much vegetables and fruit and all the goodies that they like which is fine for a treat. But not to eat all the time because they won't eat their feed that provides them with the nutrition they need to lay their eggs. I know from experience I was doing the same thing to my hens

 

[Kellyjenny]

They started laying eggless shells the shells were weak because they weren't getting enough calcium from their feed.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I really don't understand why there's the idea of if you "overfeed" them veggies then their diet can become unbalanced. If I eat too many veggies, it doesn't do me harm... Newbie asking here

Think of it like this...If you can only eat so much in a day, and you only eat say, greens...which are healthy but very low in protein...you’re going to end up deficit in protein.

Two solutions that both work...keep treats small, or mix in some high protein treats.