recognizing food

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My grandma used to say "la gallina che non riconosce il grano", the hen that doesn't recognize the grain. Well I found a chick yesterday in my city back yard, and I'm unprepared for caring for it. I started out by giving it wild bird seed and parrot mix, which is what I had on hand. I supplemented that with oats. This morning I tried something different. I diced up some berries. I also defrosted some mixed frozen veggies, the same thing I give my parrot, and myself for that matter. That little guy ran up to the plate and stared at it. Then he ran to his seed bowl and back to his veggie plate. I'm getting the idea he's only been fed chicken food. It didn't take long, but he started to peck and found himself a little bit of corn. I ordered some starter, but I don't know how long it will take to get here. I am so chicken ignorant!

I also have to find a waterer that he can't poop in. Any suggestions?

Thank you!

Kathy

 

[galanie]

Sounds like you're off to a good start! He'll do fine on that till his food arrives. They do love oatmeal and bird seed. Veggies are sort of hit and miss. Many say theirs love carrots but neither my cockatiels nor my chickens will touch them. My hens love fresh greens, peas, and corn though. They have trouble getting lettuce and spinach and such into pieces small enough to swallow unless they are attached to the plant still

(ask me how I know that) but you can cut them or something.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

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I also have to find a waterer that he can't poop in. Any suggestions?

Putting the bowl (or whatever you're using for watering) up on a brick is often very helpful towards keeping the water clean. Like galanie said, it sounds like you're off to a good start. Have you checked with the neighbors to see if they are missing a bird? It's very nice of you to take care of it; good luck!​

 

[Ridgerunner]

Corm meal is also pretty good to feed them in an emergency.

Since you are feeding them various things, you need to give the chick some grit. Chickens don't have teeth, so they use grit in their gizzard to grind up their food. Things like chick feed and corn meal is already ground fine enough that it is not a problem, but any grain seeds or even grass needs to be ground up. Adult chickens can use pebbles up to the size of a pea as grit, but chicks obviously need something smaller. Coarse construction sand works great, but play sand is too fine and smooth to do much good.

You can find grit at most pet stores, but be careful with that. Read the label. Some of it has calcium in it, and too much calcium can be harmful to a growing chick. I usually take sand and very small pebbles from a gravel driveway or road, or just get some sandy dirt from my run. Don't feed it a lot of grit. A teaspoon would be plenty, but it will help the chick digest some of the stuff you are feeding it.

Do you know where the chick came from? It is unusual for a baby chick to just show up. They are social animals and really need other chickens to be happy. Raising one by itself may be a bit hard on it. It will probably imprint on you and peep horribly when you are not around.