Treats for baby chicks

[Tmcfarland]

Question….. I’ve got 12 chicks a few weeks old now. Aside from the chick crumble they get, are there snacks/treats that they are able to have at this age or is it better to wait till they’re older to give snacks/treats? I know what older chickens can have just curious as to this young. Thanks in advance!

 

[Weeg]

Etsy has some cool options, I like these.
Otherwise, grass, dandelion, chopped or minced leafy greens, or simply their chick fed turned into a mash. They seem to love it!

 

[SilverBirds]

Boiled or scrambled egg is always a good treat for young chicks. Older chickens can eat most fruits and vegetables like watermelon, berries, apples, carrots, leafy greens, corn, etc. My chooks absolute favorite food is bread and pasta. make sure you research what is safe for them to eat though.

When they are a little older, you can give them corn and scratch. Scratch can be fed daily but should only make up 10% of their diet. Treats should only be fed a few times a week and make up 5-10% percent of their diet.

 

[nuthatched]

You've received good suggestions but your chicks are too young, wait until 8 weeks.

 

[Weeg]

When they are a little older, you can give them corn and scratch. Scratch can be fed daily but should only make up 10% of their diet. Treats should only be fed a few times a week and make up 5-10% percent of their diet.

Scratch makes a good treat, but I will state that it shouldn't be fed any differently than any other treats. It also should only be fed a few times a week, in small amounts. Its high in fat with minimal nutritional value.
Treats such as veggies, fruits, berries, etc can be fed in much larger qualities. They contain essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants and are very beneficial to birds.

 

[Tmcfarland]

Thanks guys, I appreciate all your input. It’s been a while since we had chickens and I don’t want to do something that could potentially hurt them.

 

[Weeg]

I've given chicks a few weeks old treats without issues. I usually do leafy greens since they're easy to digest. I give my chicks pre-made or purchased treats once they reach 4-6 weeks. I've never had any issues. Just make sure to offer grit.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For chicks, I usually do 1-2 dried mealworms, broken up, as a training aid, so they're less afraid of our hands. My chicks have grit access from the start.