Things chicks can eat

[chickmchickie]

I know there is a list on here, but i cant find it, and i think some of the things i wanted to know about wasn't on the list..
Can chicks eat...

Potato skins.. aka peelings

Carrot peelings

Cooked cabbage

celery the whole stalk with leaves too?

Mac and cheese.. i have 3 boxes of kraft that expired a few days ago..


honey dew melon

left over baked potatos

rice cooked

grits cooked?


red worms or smaller worms like from bait..

milk

 

[a(TM)?HoneyBeea(TM)?]

Potato skins -
Many say yes, Others say no. Please only feed cooked peelings to be on the safe side

Carrot peelings -
Yes, carrot peelings are fine.

Cooked cabbage -
Totally fine

Celery -
Though mine usually ignore it, yes it's safe.

Mac and cheese -
Search it in the BYC search bar, and you'll find MANY BYCers feed it with no problems.

Honey dew melon -
Yes


Baked potatoes -
They love them!

Rice/cooked -
Totally safe. Non-cooked should not be fed as it expands.

Grits -
Cooked grits are safe.

Red worms/smaller worms -
Worms such as earthworms carry intestinal worms that chickens can get.
I wouldn't add to the worms they already get from foraging. Try mealworms
from the bait store, they are safe.

Milk -
No, Chickens lack the enzymes necessary to digest lactose.

~ Becca

 

[Chemguy]

The treats chart is located here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

 

[feliciamckee]

No milk? Really? That makes sense but why do alot of ppl say to give them yougurt for the enzymes if they are sick? Yogurt is lactose based right? Mine won't eat yogurt anyway, they don't like to get their beaks dirty!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Starter. Chick starter. Chicks should be eating almost entirely chick starter. All of these other things are merely serving to dilute an already balanced feed that will grow them out to the best of their potential.

A little rolled oats every other day to encourage them to scratch up their bedding to keep it dry and fluffy is harmless. A little finely chopped greens once a day is a good thing. The rest of that stuff is just unbalancing a well balanced ration.

 

[Nicole01]

I personally wouldn't feed any junk food or foods with lots of salt. Mac and cheese is a junk food with no nutritional value. Too much salt can kill a chicken. However, this is my personal opinion with the junk food.

I do give them meats(pork, steak, beef) cut very small. They love applesauce, watermelon, strawberries, sunflower seeds, dried oats, sweet grapes, homemade bread, and hard boiled eggs.

I give my chicks treats daily. Sunflower seeds every morning and their afternoon snack is a fruit. In the evenings, I'll cut up leftover meat if available.

Oh, I forgot to add... I started treats when they were 2 months old. Before that, their treat was wet starter. They love their feed wet and pasty.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
The lactose in yogurt (or kefir or some other products) has pretty well already been digested by the culture that made the yogurt. You give yogurt for the probiotics. You should still give it in small quantities. For 27 chicks I'd probably give a couple of heaping tablespoons mixed in their chick food. It is supposed to give them some good gut flora, particularly in brooder raised chicks.

I've never tried to give mine yogurt except mixed in scrambled egg, chick feed or similar.

Lots of info on the web about birds being lactose intolerant; just google.

 

[Chad the Chicken Man]

Im sure im going to get picked on here. But i have a 2 chicks and 2 keets that are only a week and a half old, raised by a hen, and ive been giving them a cucumber sliced down the lenth of it. i only give them one half. but the really seem to love it. plus its got tons of water in it to keep them hydrated. they also love my green tomatoes. everything in moderation, but i also sprinkle there food on top of the treats and they seem to love it as it soaks up the flavored juice.

 

[Spoiled1_629]

I got my new chicks yesterday. They hatched Monday. As soon as I got them home and settled in I chopped up a hard boild egg and fed it to them with some grit in their brooder for an extra shot of protein. I sure hope it wasn't too soon to give them that. I was thinking the extra protein would help them after a long trip. I also gave some to my 2 week old keets.

 

[chickmchickie]

Quote:
Thank you that is the list i was looking for , but some of the ones i asked about isnt on that list so that is why i asked....

I dont feed them meals of the straps. but the other day i was peeling carrots and stuff and wondered if i could give them that.. they are still on start and grow, i am keeping them on that till 8 weeks old..