Introduce new foods

[JazzyLoo]

Our baby chicks are 1 week old today When can we give them spaghetti , egg yolks or other treats and do we need to give them chick grit as well?

 

[DobieLover]

Our baby chicks are 1 week old today When can we give them spaghetti , egg yolks or other treats and do we need to give them chick grit as well?

If they are eating anything other than chick starter they need grit.
I strongly recommend you do not feed breads or pastas.
All treats must be kept to less than 10% of the total diet. Treats are also a bad idea for babies as they need a complete undiluted diet do develop properly.

 

[CindyinSD]

Chick starter is formulated to give your babies the nutrients they need. If you want to give treats, do high protein treats. Scrambled eggs--well cooked and chopped small are a good choice. You can also give them a bit of grass or a dandelion plant with the roots. They'll mostly play with them, but they'll peck and maybe eat a bit. You can catch bugs--they love little grasshoppers--and toss them in live for some excellent belly laughs.

 

[CindyinSD]

Oh yes... I meant to mention grit, too. DobieLover is right--and also if the chicks are on any bedding they can eat, they will. They need grit to deal with this bedding even if you only give them chick feed.

 

[JazzyLoo]

If they are eating anything other than chick starter the need grit.
I strongly recommend you do not feed breads or pastas.
All treats must be kept to less than 10% of the total diet. Treats are also a bad idea for babies as they need a complete undiluted diet do develop properly.

Thank you so much. I’m feeding them Backyard chicken starter non gmo no corn with coconut oil and flax seed combo so I have the healthiest chicks possible! I will wait on feeding other items

 

[JazzyLoo]

Oh yes... I meant to mention grit, too. DobieLover is right--and also if the chicks are on any bedding they can eat, they will. They need grit to deal with this bedding even if you only give them chick feed.

They are on puppy pads with a very small amount of chicken flock pine bedding under their warming plate. Do I miss the chick grit in with their crumble or put a small dish of it along side? Thank you for the help

 

[CindyinSD]

They are on puppy pads with a very small amount of chicken flock pine bedding under their warming plate. Do I miss the chick grit in with their crumble or put a small dish of it along side? Thank you for the help

You can do it either way. I give mine in a separate dish. They seem attracted to the grit instinctively. If that's inconvenient or if yours aren't eating it, you can sprinkle it on their food. No set amount--just sprinkle some on with your fingertips.