Jello snack for chickies

[columbiacritter]

My DH found a recipe for nutricous snacks to distract brooder chicks from picking on each other. It called for unflavored gelatin and scratch grains, but all I had was peach jello and I used a vitamin fortified finch seed mix for my little bitty bantam chicks.

Mix up a packet of jello then add seed or scratch to the desired consistancy and let set up. I used disposable aluminum loaf pans. A scoop on a plastic lid set in the brooder gets devoured! They love it and it 's good for them. Just make sure your chicks are getting grit before feeding a snack like this.

One jello mix filled two small loaf pans.

My older birds thought it was delicous too.

Jello Shots for chickens!

 

[lotzahenz]

Thanks, a great idea. I wonder if the GROW GEL is something like this? That is expensive to order and I would love to make it homemade. Again, thanks for sharing your idea! HenZ

 

[ranchhand]

Did you put the required amount of sugar in the Jello? Too much sugar (or salt) is bad for them in the long run. Is the vitamin level for finches the same as for chicks?

Honestly, I'd recommend against it, or at very least, very sparing use. If the chicks are pecking each other it may be solved by giving them a larger brooder.
I only give chick starter for the first 2-3 weeks, then I start with treats and grit. Sometimes they get nothing but starter feed until they go outside at 8-10 weeks.

I can say that if you make the peach jello without the seeds I will be all over it! LOVE that stuff!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
I agree. And I wouldn't be giving scratch to young chicks anyway, the pieces are too big for them. My babies don't get scratch until they are about 12 weeks old and only because they are in with everyone else at that point.

If you do give things to them that are not chick food, then make sure they have access to grit.

 

[columbiacritter]

Quote:
I didn't add any sugar and used vitamin fortified seed mix so it was healthy and small enough for bantam chicks to comfortably eat. It was 85% seed to 15% jello so the amount of Jello they get is not large. If you are worried about sugar use unflavored gelatin.

My chicks are in a large brooder with no pecking issues but I am a firm believer in introducing other food stuffs to them early. At three or 4 days I give grit, rough sand, then start offering finaly chopped spinach or brocoli tops. At 2 weeks old they get chucks of grass and weed complete with dirt. 3 wks they get meal worms and small crickets. These are treats not thier main diet and so far I have not had a problem with pasty butt in any chick over 3 days old. I find chicks givne a variety to eat take to being outside much better than chicks who've never seen anythign but starter crumbles.

I also have a vareity of perches and things to climb on or run around to make a busy brooder full of robust chicks.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I have some unflavored gelatin that has been sitting around for what seems like forever- thanks for this idea!