New Chickie Mama. Iv got 4 day old chicks.

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Welcome to BYC and congrats on your new chicks!

Make sure to offer grit alongside any non-feed treats and to limit the amount of treats so that most of their diet is regular feed. I wait until 2-3 weeks old, but it's worth noting that very young chicks eat bugs/plants/etc. when they are raised by a broody hen.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
I haven't raised chicks in 6 years since the first batch. I let the broody hens and the flock raise my chicks now.

However, I see the mama hens breaking up pieces of grass and weeds to feed their kids. And they do that as soon as they come off the nest anywhere from 1 to 4 days. But the chicks are also out on the ground so they have access to grit. If you're going to feed your chicks anything other than chick food, you must offer them chick sized grit.
 
Hiya, and welcome to BYC! :frow

If I'm raising them, I only give them mash (wet starter crumbles) for the first two or three weeks. They need the nutrients in their feed to get a good start in life, and they think of that as a treat.

After a couple of weeks, we'll try a little scrambled eggs. We put a dish of garden dirt (grit) in there too, which they totally mess up. If we've got a ripe banana, strawberries, blueberries, etc., I've tried those and they leave them sit. I've tried mashing those up in in their mash, and then they try it. Again, those things are diluting the nutrients in their feed. I have silkies who are prone to suffer from vitamin deficiencies so I am very cautious about them getting anything besides their feed for their first 4 months.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow

I usually don't start with too many goodies until 5 or 6 weeks of age however once in a while some scrambled eggs is a fun treat. Make sure to clean up any left over egg as it will spoil in the brooder heat. If you feed other things to chicks, make sure to sprinkle it with parakeet grit for their gizzards, sprinkle as it you might be salting something. Never free feed grit to chicks as they can gorge on it which is deadly.

Welcome to our community!
 
swamphiker said:
Welcome to BYC and congrats on your new chicks!

Make sure to offer grit alongside any non-feed treats and to limit the amount of treats so that most of their diet is regular feed. I wait until 2-3 weeks old, but it's worth noting that very young chicks eat bugs/plants/etc. when they are raised by a broody hen.
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Which chick grit do you suggest ?
 
DobieLover said:
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
I haven't raised chicks in 6 years since the first batch. I let the broody hens and the flock raise my chicks now.

However, I see the mama hens breaking up pieces of grass and weeds to feed their kids. And they do that as soon as they come off the nest anywhere from 1 to 4 days. But the chicks are also out on the ground so they have access to grit. If you're going to feed your chicks anything other than chick food, you must offer them chick sized grit.
Click to expand...
Which chick grit do you suggest? They are on Purina starter non medicated feed right now.
 

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