"Teenage Chickens" When to Start Feeding Table Scraps

[ctofsrud]

My chicks are now fully feathered and about 8 1/2 weeks of age. They are free roaming the yard and eating their starter feed and whatever else they can get their beaks on. When do you guys suggest we start giving them table scraps? Mostly vegetables. The gentleman at the feed store recommended six months of age, which would be September. What do you guys normally do? Thanks for the input!

 

[kbky1973]

I've raised them for years. Start feeding them now. They love the stuff. Don't think he the guy that told you said months knows much about chickens.cabbage leaves, greens bread. Any thing

 

[chicklover 1998]

def. not 6 mo they can have it at 8 weeks.

 

[ejcrist]

I started giving mine treats and scraps at about 6 weeks. They love 'em. I have to be careful or they'll attack me to get at 'em if they think I have any.

 

[kbky1973]

Oh yes. Any thing from biscuits, corn bread ,day old breads left overs of any kind is good for them. Works. Night crawlers, bugs, ants, you name it they love it.

 

[azygous]

Make sure they have grit and go easy on the breads. Too much bread can set the crop up for yeast infections.

 

[ctofsrud]

I gave them some veggies and they weren't too into that. They just let it go to waste, but maybe it was too much for them at this point. We have tons of small gravel and I see them eating that right now, so I assume they are getting their grit? I may try a small amount of bread tonight as a treat and see what they think.

Thank you for all the wonderful input! Joining this forum was the best chicken decision ever! Other than getting my sweet girls of course

Chrissy

 

[Yolkahontis]

I am by no means any expert on this. But I have 5 week old girls and I started giving them veggies in super small doses. I gave them Romain lettuce breaking off two leave a day. First couple day they just walked around it. one day one decided to try it. then next couple days they were chasing each other around to get a bite. I then added green pepper this took 3 seconds for them to tear it apart and it was gone. Now like someone already said I have to be carful as they rush me when they think I have scraps for them. I Also feed them black soldier fly larvae These are alive and it is their treat to get them back into the coop. I put the in a dish and when I shake the dish I get overwhelmed by flying chickens headed home for this treat.

 

[RainbowHen]

I give grit and put my chicks on grass at a few days old. They get little treats and scraps every now and them. As long as the bulk of their diet is their normal feed you will have no issues. It's good for their mental health. Keeps them stimulated and happy.

 

[yakitori]

at 3 weeks when I put my chicks outside, they started eating soooo much grass, I figured that it was okay then to feed them other stuff too. In addition to starter crumbles, they've been allowed to forage for themselves since 3weeks old. Sometimes I gave them left over food my cat doesn't want, lol.