Mushy food

[DanicaDream]

My baby chicks are about a week old now- when we first got them, it was suggested that we add a little water to the chick starter for them to eat better and not get pasty butt. No pasty butt here, but I'm starting to wonder when I need to back off the watering down of their food. I know they need to get used to the pellets, but they seem to prefer when I give them pellet mush. When I gave them regular pellets last night, one of them stopped eating. As soon as I put water in the food and mashed it up, she started eating like a little pig again. It seems like they eat more if it's watered down, so I keep giving them food that way. Should I worry about not mashing it up, or just be happy they're eating like little piggies? I'm fine with adding water to their food and making a mash, I just don't want to mess up with their systems. How long is this okay to do?

Thanks!

 

[Gallusfarm]

are crumbles not available in your area?

 

[DanicaDream]

They do have crumbles, and that's what I was feeding them, but they don't like it as well as when I wet it down for them. They gobble it up when it's wet. Three of them will eat the crumbles, but prefer the mushy stuff, but the other one doesn't seem to eat the crumbles at all.

 

[Stewarts]

I have 23 chicks and 2 turkey chicks. They started on their chick starter just fine, all except for one and to get her to eat (she hatched prematurely and had to absorb the last of her yolk) I watered down the starter. It was meant for her but all of them love it. I believe because its a little sweeter than in crumble form. They are going on a week and half now... I will stop giving them the mash when they go into the coup. This way I know they are healthy enough for the 'big' change.

What else are you giving them? I give mine homemade, plain, unsweetened yogurt and they love that. I also give them mashed boiled egg and its like football in the brooder!! Interest them in trying different things but don't worry about the chick mash. Once they really start to grow up enough to go into the coup, you can start them on other foods. I magic bulleted some yogurt and lettuce that I am growing indoors for more nutrients for them and they ate that like it was going out of style. I find they aren't crazy about raspberries, however.

Try different things with them. I also rearrange their brooder area frequently so they get used to changes more easily; that way, when it comes Chicken Coup time, it will just be another rearrangement for them.

Stephanie

 

[DanicaDream]

Thanks Stephanie! That's really helpful! Even though we want them for eggs, we want them to be our pets too. They're such sweet little things. I haven't given them anything but the chick starter and I've got a plate of grit for them as well. I haven't seen them touch the grit, but hubby says he's seen them peck at it.

But now I think I will go mash up some of our hardboiled Easter eggs for them. I only have vanilla yogurt, but I might pick some plain up for them. Is a week too young to start them on food other than chick starter? I thought that you had to wait until they were older.

I'm definitely going to re-arrange their space a little, though. The kids should be home from school soon for poop cleaning duty, so we'll re-arrange then.

Danica

 

[Stewarts]

Hubby and I put the chicks into our large cardboard brooder (held together with glue gun glue and twine), its so large it takes up a quarter of the spare room and I can comfortably sit in one corner to feed them there favorite treat - mashed up boiled egg! We left if bare and sprinkled starter on it floor so they'd recognize their food. After 3 days we added a layer of pine shavings. Right after that I began giving them yogurt. From what I've read, chicks don't have bacteria in their little systems; they get that from pecking at their mom's poo -- giving them yogurt from the get go, gives them the bacteria they need. I've never had a problem with them. I also warm some molasses and 2 1/4 tsp of apple cider vinegar, put that into a jar in the fridge and add a tsp of that to about 6 cups of their water. It helps to prevent poopy butt; as does the yogurt. Since yesterday, I've been adding 2 tbsp of yogurt to their warm mash. I don't give them grit right now because they are eating soft foods that don't require it. I save and wash egg shells and let them dry out before smashing them up in my Magic Bullet to a more or less fine powder and I add a tsp of that to their mash for calcium.

You can make homemade yogurt in your incubator, that's what I do. I use a jug of whole milk (we live on a dairy) and heat it to about 100F stirring constantly. Remove it and add 4 tbsp of plain, unsweetened, store bought yogurt. Pour into a bowl and place it in my bator with a hydrometer to maintain the temperature just at 99F. 6 hours later - lots of plain, unsweetened yogurt for the chicks and for you.

Yesterday I rearranged. I have a raised 2x6 board that I placed the waterer on so they don't get as many shavings into it or poo, for that matter. I also put their food dishes on there so they have less room to crowd around, though they will still stand in their food or walk through it but not as much I'm finding. I use a bird feeder for their dry starter. I gave them a dish of boiled, mashed potato - they will tell you what they like - but they did try it.

They will be 2 weeks old this weekend (April 6-7). They are feathering out; seems the first thing to feather is their wings! Course it doesn't help that my 3 week old Turkey chick has been showing them how to fly... but I've had her out quite a bit. Amber flies onto my shoulder and loves to be out about the house with me. Her little sibling, Rue, loves to cuddle in my hand and go to sleep.

My husband has built a 5x8 coup for them and this weekend we are going to insulate it and put tarp sheeting on the inside. He also put two windows in, one by the door that I can slide up and down (there will be mesh on the inside) and one in the back of the coup for ventilation in the summer. Both are made from two Dollar Store picture frames. Since the coup will be insulated, it will hold the heat from the heat lamp better and we can put our chicks out before they start flying all over the room. I'm thinking that will happen on the weekend of the 13th when they reach 3 weeks of age. My older turkey chick, Amber, will be a month old then. I have pictures on my site - Stewarts. I will be posting more some time today.

Stephanie