Table foods for chicks!

[jasminj]

Hi everyone, I am hoping someone can help me... How do I introduce new foods eg. Fruits & veggies to my 6 week old silkie chicks? At the moment they only eat chick starter crumbles which they LOVE! I have put a few different veggies in their run but they don't even peck at them? They don't appear to recognize them as food. Are there particular things that I should be trying first? And are there particular ways to cut/serve the food to entice them?!?
Thanks so much in advance!

 

[fkreye]

When my little ones didn't have a problem taking to new food thank goodness. But I started them on some smashed bananas and apple sauce. Maybe the softer food helped somehow?! Not sure, but they haven't stopped since then and things doing get smashed up any more!

 

[ButchGood]

Just toss it on the ground and watch what happens.

 

[Nicole01]

I personally waited 3 months before giving anything other then the feed. I don't free range until then either. I was always afraid of the crop being impacted since my first three, my Brahma had sour crop as a wee one. She has had it 3 times now, so it's her system failing inside. I keep a good eye on her.

Anyways, the foods I feed are veggies(tomatoes, cracked corn, cucumber/seeds, and carrots), fruits(watermelon, applesauce, and musk melon). I sprout anything I can, but mostly alfalfa. Oats, sunflower seeds, wheat, and other grains I have on hand, which can be sprouted too.

I sprout mainly in the winter to keep the yolks nice and orange. I might buy alfalfa squares in the horse section to moisten and feed in the winter cutting back on the sprouting. We'll see.

I free range morning till night and they get an endless supply of grass, weeds and bugs with the occasional frog or rodent. The eggs do taste better when you feed greens.

 

[BorderBrigade]

At that age my chicks love cooked oatmeal and I mix in berries that are season as they are fairly soft. Blueberries are their favorite. I also put out free choice grit as well. Mine have been free ranging for about three weeks now and no problems. I think the variety they pick up is better than just commercial food only.

 

[BorderBrigade]

Fresh spinich is another favorite!

 

[ButchGood]

I have always free ranged mine as soon as reasonably possible. As soon as you get dirt and grass under their feet the better. I built a little "Nursery pen" for my chicks. When they are about 5 days old I put them out during the day. By 2 or 3 weeks old they are in the run. At 5 or 6 weeks they free range. That's when they will get little treats from me. I started out throwing meal worms out on the ground for them. They go crazy scratching and eating them up. Yogurt is another fun food to give them. Put a couple tablespoons on a plate, set it on the ground and watch the follies, fun,fun,fun. My birds really liked tomato's at that age as well. Just cut it in half the first time, after they find out what it is they'll bust the skin open on any others you give them. Cold melons are great for the summer heat. Just cut into pieces so they can get at the flesh and they will eat it down to a very thin rind. Experiment with everything. My adult chickens will eat everything that we don't, nothing goes to waste when you own chickens.

 

[fkreye]

I got mine out to forage as soon as it was warm enough this year! Watching them go crazy as little peeps over grass and dirt is hilarious!

 

[jasminj]

Thank you so much everyone for all your little words of wisdom and advice. I have given then some yoghurt this morning-they freaked out at first but seemed to be enjoying it once they got used to the new feeling/flavor! I think that where I got them from they only ever had chicked starter. When I'm home they can free range but I wouldn't want to leave them out whilst I'm not here.

Another question-their actual coop is up a small ladder and they don't seem to ever go in there-even when it starts to get dark? They just stay On the grassy run. It's been really cold and raining for days and days so I have been bringing them in to sleep inside at night. Any hints how to get them familiar with the 'upstairs' of their coop and what do you all think the ideal bending is?!?
Thanks so much!

 

[ButchGood]

Thank you so much everyone for all your little words of wisdom and advice. I have given then some yoghurt this morning-they freaked out at first but seemed to be enjoying it once they got used to the new feeling/flavor! I think that where I got them from they only ever had chicked starter. When I'm home they can free range but I wouldn't want to leave them out whilst I'm not here.
Another question-their actual coop is up a small ladder and they don't seem to ever go in there-even when it starts to get dark? They just stay On the grassy run. It's been really cold and raining for days and days so I have been bringing them in to sleep inside at night. Any hints how to get them familiar with the 'upstairs' of their coop and what do you all think the ideal bending is?!?
Thanks so much!

Chickens are big copycats. If you can get just one to go in by herself at night the rest will follow. I used a trail of meal worms up my ramp. They fumbled around with it and eventually got it. In the meantime just pick them up every night and put them away. This aways takes a little time, but they will learn.
I also kept the food and water in the coop until they started going in on their own. After that I put the food in the run so they wouldn't spend all day in there.