Peeps feasting on bugs ok?

[FrankDegamma]

May be dumb question, though we are newbies. We have the brooder out in the new coop and the light attracts a ton of insects which they are having a blast chasing down, fighting over and eating. Are they ok at this age (peeps less than week old) to fill up on bugs and eat less chick feed. Riot watching them chase eachother when one catchs moth, lightning bug....cricket...u name it. Thanks for your help.
Willy

 

[kidcody]

Bugs should be like a appetizer, make sure they are eating enough of the chick starter!

 

[larsonll]

Mine have been catching bugs as much as are attracted since day 1 and all are fine at 3 weeks. My kids intentionally try to catch bugs to give to them, too. Nice thing to get my girls ever their bug phobia, lol.

 

[BoltonChicken]

Bugs are fine as long as they have access to grit. After all, if they were in the wild all they would be eating would be bugs and grass (and anything else they could find).

 

[JodyJo]

fun isn't it?!

make sure they have grit then, fine sand will work great...and lots of fresh water and of course the starter food!

 

[debid]

I had exactly the same situation -- outdoor brooder and bugs swarming the light. My chicks ate lots and lots of insects and were semi-nocturnal because they loved the night life and liked to boogie. All 10 of them thrived under these conditions.

And yes, they need grit.

 

[simplysophie]

Bugs should be fine as long as they get grit, but i dont think that they should eat bugs this early.Grit should not be administered until two weeks old. But that's just my opinion!

God in his goodness gave us chickens

 

[SteveBaz]

live food is a gas to watch them run and hide it from the others, funny stuff all right!!

Steve

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Lucky chicks! If they were being raised by a Mama Hen, she would have them out eating bugs and worms as soon as they left the nest. Give them a little dish of sandy, gritty dirt and they are good to go. chicks that are raised as close as to how a broody hen would raise them are much more hardy and resistant to the diseases that coddled brooder-raised chicks are prone to.

 

[humpbacks1962]

Mine went psycho over bugs since the second week. It is really funny when they find something yummi and start screaming and running away from the others. Always wondered about that.. If they were quiet, maybe nobody would notice!

Mine L-O-V-E spiders and millipedes. Not too fond of earthworms, but I hope that changes as they mature. They love ants and pillbugs too, and sometimes I see htem catching stink bugs in the garden.

They are free to roam in the veggie garden because for some miraculous reason they are most attracted to bugs. But I am sure that will change when they start laying and see how yummi tomatoes are...