Looking for some examples of treats/foods for my chicks. Suggestions???

[chickengeorgeto]

My chicks, as I've found out, are around 11 weeks old. I know that chicks have specific nutrient needs so I really have tried to be careful with them. I make sure they have fresh water and plenty of it (it's hot and humid here in PA, so they get some ice in their water) and I've given them only the starter crumble. (I must sound like a mean chicken-mommy; "no treats til you eat your dinner! haha) because I know it has mostly what they need but I'd like to give them a couple other things here and there. I see a lot of mixed reactions as to if you should give anything else to chicks, or what to give.

So...at their age, what are some good treats for them that are also safe? And how often to give them?? I appreciate any advice you guys have! Also, I'm almost out of my starter crumble and I was just thinking of doing a starter/grower mix. Would this be good until they start laying? Thanks!

Also, what other foods, if any, would require grit???

In my humble opinion there is nothing that a chicken eats that does not require grit. My biddies get chick grit BEFORE they get their first taste of real food. I feed this grit on a piece of cardboard or plastic political sign. The chicks will amaze you because they everyone will start pecking at the tiny pieces of grit. It is best to feed grit where the hen can't get at it because it is the momma hens' instinct to scratch for her children and she will waste every bit of the grit (or chick food for that matter) if she can get to it.

If baby chicks do not need grit then why did Mother Nature go to the trouble and the expense to outfit each and every baby chicken with a gizzard?

 

[ChicksInTheYard]

@3riverschick thanks for those links. And I live fairly close to you! (Just north of the 'burgh!). I think it's good to have "close" friends in case I need some emergency advice haha. Althhough there are always amazing ppl here to help! I appreciate all of your advice.

 

[3riverschick]

More than welcome. We from Westsylvania need to work together with our poultry, smile.
Ned a Light Sussex cock? I have a real nice 3 yr. old one I am
trying to rehome because I don't need him in my program anymore.
I used him last year with great success. " Knight And Day" is lovely and very prepotent for himself in his sons.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/536408/light-sussex-thread/370#post_15505984
Post post #374 of 379
Best,
karen

 

[ChicksInTheYard]

@3riverschick , When I'm more set up I'd definitely like to get some really good (and ultimately heritage) breeds. Right now I'm pretty sure I have two little roosters that I'm not sure what I'll do with. I'll probably keep one, rehome one. They are buff orps. And yes please let me know of any local clubs or anything that I may be interested in finding if you know of any, and keep me posted on what you have or will have available.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Anything from the fridge that is getting old is excellent for adolescent and older chickens. They are omnivores which means everything. Some will say to not feed things with salt...well it's true that at a certain amount of salt intake will kill them, as it's true a certain amount of salt intake will kill a human too. 4 grams for standard size birds is toxic. Think about that, how would you ever get 4 grams of salt into a bird in a day? In the studies they did they injected salt solution into crop after eating. Basically, don't worry about the salt in cheese dishes like lasagna. They will gobble it up and benefit from it.

If you've a garden all culls from there go to chickens. If you've got left over chicken in the fridge that goes to the chickens. It's basic when you've got omnivores like us humans. They eat what we eat so all things cut away when preparing a meal goes to them and if that meal is not finished in 5 days in the fridge it all goes to them. Simple.

I'm training my mother to train her chickens. She gives them "treats" but doesn't use any vocal call while doing so. Pavlov proved long ago that repetition of one action with feed will produce the same action without feed. I like to whistle to call animals so use that but many people say "Here chick, chick, chick!" to call birds. Do that every time you feed treats and within a few weeks they are trained to come running to your call alone. Moving fencing and chickens and general management is easy with trained birds.

Grit is grit. It's not a science. A study of grit use in egg factories of the 1920's is not the same as your back yard chickens that have access to the dirt to get their own grit. Sure a fractured all surface stone is more efficient than river bed stone but the real deal here is that they have stone in the crop or not, that was the study. Without stone to aid in grinding down food before it gets to stomach birds eat more feed to get the nutrition they need. Without stone they can't grind down the food so it's not processed completely by the time it exits the body. In a chicken factory they limit feed so if the chicken can't process all the nutrition it will lay less eggs. This is night and day from your back yard birds that have all the feed they want and access to dirt to get all the stone they need to function in eating like nature intended.

 

[ChicksInTheYard]

@Egghead_Jr That's a good tip with the whole training thing! I talk to my chickens and they do seem to recognize me and my aunt who gives them food. I'll start using the calls right away since I want to be able to let my chickens roam the yard and hill we have. But I do want them to come back when called since we have a lot of predators in these parts such as raccoons, possums, and foxes among other things. I know I can give them most of the table scraps once they are mature, I'll start integrating treats here and there in the meantime.

Also, I don't know if it' just me but I think I feel a little weird about feeding my chickens chicken lol. Not really big on the whole cannibalism thing (especially since the whole Terminus thing went down on the Walking Dead lol!)...

 

[MrChickenGuy]

Thanks for the replies so far!  We do tend to have a lot of veggies starting to wilt in the fridge (I want to grow my own, but for now the store bought stuff is ok but just doesn't keep as well) and I have a decent size bag of sunflower seeds that will suit them well! Thanks for those tips!
I may have to try them a hard-boiled egg, and I've read they c'an eat boiled potatoes/

Also, I forgot to mention, I have a big bag of ground flax powder (found it for a great price at the local Walmart of all places) and I add small amounts to our food as it is great with omegas and all that....  Is it something I can mix into their food? I give them crumble, it would mix well. I just figured if it is that good for us then maybe it's good for them.

Does anyone else give ground flax or anything like that?  BTW when they are laying I plan on trying to grow them fodder.

With the sunflower seeds I would stick to the ones sold for wild bird/Avian feeding specifically. Not sure about the ones sold on the shelf for people but I know those are usually loaded with sodium and other things. All comes down to how picky you are about what you feed your chickens.