Spoiling too much?

[CrazyCrttr75]

Hi all. I have 5 week old Black Australorps. They are on medicated chick starter feed and just thriving. I do give them treats every now and again. They’ve had dried mealworms. A few fresh worms from the ground. A couple of grubs. Found a small grasshopper once. It didn’t stand a chance. I gave them a small corn cob (which will be a rarity cause we don’t eat corn a whole lot) once and they were terrified of it, until they figured out it was food and then they pecked it clean! All of the above are rare stuff. My main concern is that I will go out and pick grasses and clover for them a couple times a day and bring it to them in their run (which is dirt floor). They go CRAZY over clover. I mean nuts! They love it. Is it bad for them, like is it considered like a chicken “junk food” kinda like corn or some grains can be? Can they get too much? I am trying to make sure the majority of their nutrition comes from their feed, not the goodies but I am having a hard time not spoiling them. I love that when I go to visit and call out to them that I’m greeted with those excited peeps and them greeting me at their run door to see if I brought them some “num nums” lol. I just want to make sure I’m not overdoing it. Oh, I was also curious about grapes. I read some people give their chicks grapes. Whole or do you slice them in half? Is 5 weeks old too young for grapes? -Tammy

 

[chickengirl778]

The grass and clumps of dirt are not really "treats" for them, but corn should definitely be pretty limited - it's like candy for us! Mealworms and regular worms are not as fattening. I'm not sure when grapes are ok, but you should probably give very small pieces so they don't choke

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

The grass and clumps of dirt are not really "treats" for them, but corn should definitely be pretty limited - it's like candy for us! Mealworms and regular worms are not as fattening. I'm not sure when grapes are ok, but you should probably give very small pieces so they don't choke

Ok, so maybe I will just continue to eat the grapes myself, since I would worry about choking. At least until they are a bit older anyways. And maybe I won't worry so much about the clover. My chicks act like it is crack or something, I am not even kidding. They don't realize it isn't a treat. I went to give them some this morning (I had a bunch that I had picked in a bowl) and when I was talking to them, "Oh look what I have for you...", One of them climbed up the ladder that goes to their upper part of their coop and hopped in the bowl. I guess I was talking too long. So I think I will continue to let them think that while I can still enjoy it (before the area we have them in gets finished being fenced in and they can free range) and they start ignoring me.

 

[cbass422407]

The grass and clover will be great for their digestive systems. If you're not able to let them out to forage for themselves, grass and clover "treats" will be the highlight of their day. I spoil the heck out of our girls, and have never had any problems. In fact, a little cooked oatmeal (cooled down some before feeding) before going to roost, kept egg production very high through the winter.