Is it too soon to give my chicks treats???

[FirstLadiesClub]

Hey y'all! Just got our first 4 babies today! They're just a few days old and adapting well to their new home...I'm planning on posting some pics of our babies and our set up in the next day or so but my question is...is it too soon to start trying to give them treats, if not what should I start giving them. If it is too soon when do you think I should start???

Well, thanks for any input you have!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No offense but why do you think they need treats.
If you care for them, keep them on their chick grower which has optimal nutrition based on many years of research.
Don't tweak that nutritional balance until you know much more about poultry nutrition.

A few meal worms, whole fat plain yogurt and other high protein foods won't hurt if you can't help yourself.

 

[Aumlet]

Wow. I feed my chicks starter as their main food, but start offering other foods within a few days (along with chick grit). If you don't over do it, there's no reason chicks a few days old can't start "learning" about foods. My chicks have been healthy and thrived, with the exception of one who was hatched with an unabsorbed yolk and didn't make it because of infection. When my broodies have chicks, they take them out to the grass by a week old. They all do fine, and no one is monitoring what they do and don't eat out in the yard.

 

[FirstLadiesClub]

Wow. I feed my chicks starter as their main food, but start offering other foods within a few days (along with chick grit). If you don't over do it, there's no reason chicks a few days old can't start "learning" about foods. My chicks have been healthy and thrived, with the exception of one who was hatched with an unabsorbed yolk and didn't make it because of infection. When my broodies have chicks, they take them out to the grass by a week old. They all do fine, and no one is monitoring what they do and don't eat out in the yard.

 

I have been reading alot of threads on here and many said grit wasn't necessary if they're on chick starter, but if I'm going to slowly try to introduce them to new foods do I need to mix in the grit with the new foods or is it not necessary?? I've done alot of research but haven't seen many clear cut examples on the age and what types of foods to introduce the chicks to. Thanks so much for your input!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Grit shouldn't be mixed but offered free choice in a separate container.
You're right that it isn't necessary if only feeding a prepared poultry ration which is already ground before formulated into pellets, crumbles and mash.

 

[debid]

I've always put the grit in a little container and let them self-serve. I think there is a teeny-tiny chance one will decide rock tastes better than food but I haven't had any chicks that stupid. Some people sprinkle grit on the treat itself but I think that bears a higher risk of them getting too much.

There isn't clear cut information on what to offer and when -- just lots of opinions. As you've already learned, some have strong opinions about it. It's not unlike asking about feeding baby humans...

Enjoy your chicks -- they don't stay little for long.

 

[FirstLadiesClub]

Thanks everyone for your replies, we didn't buy any grit because of the research we had done but I think we'll fun to the feed store tomorrow morning to grab some to give the little ladies a little variety.

Anyway...here they are
There is Eleanor, Jacqueline, Barbara and little Nancy hiding there in the back! Our rooster Teddy will be arriving the beginning of next week!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Welcome to the site. I actually do only eat what is optimal. In fact, I'm a paleoist, so a treat for me would be blackberries, sashimi or raw grass fed beef.
Aside from the way I eat, I'm sorry you were offended but I found your post in the 'Raising Baby Chicks' section of the forum, not the 'New Member Introduction' social corner. Having successfully raised thousands of chicks I didn't just fall off the proverbial backyard chicken turnip truck.
I believe the original post asked for 'any input' on what to give baby chicks.
I give advice based on 40 years raising and breeding birds, working in the commercial poultry feed industry and years of teaching college classes on poultry.

edited by staff