Skinny chicks and do they know what not to eat

[RebelsHope]

My chicks are on a starter/grower and have food 24/7, but when i pick them up- I have been moving them to the outside everyday and have to pick them up to do so- I can feel their keel bone, so I am wondering if they are too skinny.

Also I will be moving them outside tomorrow and there are a few spiders in the pen. I am wondering if they spiders will hurt them, or if they will just eat the spiders

Also if they free range, do they know what they can not eat? We have several kinds of mushrooms that pop up around here and I don't know if they are poisonous or not. Also there are weeds all over the place. Do they know which ones that are not good for them?

Thank

 

[devora]

I can feel that bone as well and my babies are healthy piglettes when it comes to eating. If you aren’t growing meat birds it’s not a problem, I think.

Chickens eat spiders. Remember that Gilligan’s Island episode where they scared the giant 8’ spider w/ a bird? Anyway, they love crawly creatures.

They do seem to know what to eat. That being said, our Turken snapped at a rattler a month ago. But they really have an uncanny notion of what to eat/what not to eat.

They LOVE free ranging!

 

[RebelsHope]

Thanks. I have a free free range roo. He doesn't get locked up at all. Roosts in the barn at night and hangs with the goat during the day. He has never had a problem, I just started looking at those spiders and wondered what would happen if they bit my poor little chicks. Not that I didn't realize that the poor lil chick would be trying to eat the spider at the same time but ya know.

Good to know about the weight too. They all look healthy and eat a lot. They don't look sickly at all, but I was just worried a little bit when I felt them.

 

[dlhunicorn]

chicks raised by mama are also shown by mama what to eat... I would be careful where you allow them to free range and have a good look to see if you have any potential toxic plants/weeds in your yard...