Picky eaters? Watermelon?

[cverba]

Hi everyone, I'm a new mommy to 4 chicks: Cleo (Rhode Island Red), Little Red (RIR), Chewy for Chewbaca (Amerucana), and Nova (White crested polish).

Chickies are outside at night now at 6 weeks and mostly feathered. Although it's apparent they are scared of the dark. Heh. Thus the name chicken eh?

Anyhoo, I've been experimenting with treats. I read on here that they liked watermelons. So I sliced up little pieces and the only thing that has been eating it are the ants! Should I be pulverizing it? Any other ideas for healthy treats?

RIR girls like small clumps of cottage cheese and Cleo sorta shows she likes greek yogurt once it's clumped more. The reds also like salad greens.

Nova loves worms of all sizes (she's fast at spotting them in the compost) and alfalfa sprouts.

Everyone loves meal worms.

The amerucana doesn't seem to have a favorite she just goes with the flow and is kinda slow (ie the other birds will grab her food if she doesn't get to it). Except crickets....

 

[Percheron chick]

Chickens can be like children and need to be introduced to new foods a few times before they realize just how good it is. Don't give them too many new things at once. You confuse them! Give them sliced watermelon and other fruits and vegetables that they can peck at. I also slice it so they don't pick at them when they're still on the vine in the garden. Limit how much treats they get or you can run into feather picking problems.

 

[Okie Girl]

We've given ours tomatoes only. they all like the juice and seeds. A couple will peck at the meat but not for long. That and boiled egg is all that we've given them.

 

[Going Quackers]

Mine adore watermelon! but i don't think it's unrealistic to say, what one flock likes another may not, for instance mine, hate, hate oatmeal lol new foods do take time though, some they are just unsure of. Mine like peas i toss them about they roll so kinda act alive.

 

[cverba]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

It's interesting to see how the girls have been developing. I finally got them to eat watermelon, but it's mostly two that will nom on it.

The crested polish loves pretty much everything, and loves nightcrawlers.
The amerucana is such a picky eater! She hardly eats anything that's not the crumbles! And the very rare occasion when they get crickets.