treats for chicks

[Chicken5ooh]

When can I start giving my chicks treats like mealworms, they love eating starter feed from hand. The oldest are about 6 weeks old, the youngest are probably 4 weeks old. Thanks in advance.....

My starter flock:
2 Aracouna
2 Barred Rocks
2 RIR's
2 Laced Wyandottes

 

[centrarchid]

I start immediately following hatch. You are now able to handle even the jumbo sized mealworms. With smaller chicks, do not allow them to consume them intact unless mealworms are small. Mealworms can either be dismembered by you or simply hold a mealworm forcing chick to tear off little pieces as it take item from you.

 

[Chicken5ooh]

Thank you very much...I found a few small earth worms and they went nuts so I thought I would try the meal worms. Figured it was natural food too....Holt Summit, I live in VaBeach now but born and raised in Columbia, MO. Thanks again for your time.

 

[jeepguy982001]

you should try some spaghetti noodles and watch the Olympics begin.

 

[karlamaria]

I did not rush mine of treats, the starter food is nutritious enough. When they were about 9 weeks old we started on bits of egg or noodles, but not until they were at least 5 months old did we give anything else. Bugs, goodies, fruits they leave nothing behind, well except carrots and strawberries, they hate those lol. We now only give treats in the evenings. A full left over dinner from the night before. Today they got spagetti, tomorrow they will get omlets we had for dinner. And biscuits.

 

[centrarchid]

The insect based treats come closest to what is naturally consumed and is very close to optimal, especially for very young birds. The formulated chick feeds and people food with exclusion of fruits and vegetables are very different fro what the chicks are designed to process.

 

[RunnerChick]

Centrarchid: what about the scrambled egg or cooked egg yolk? I realize that naturally they won't be eating that anymore, but that's the exact nutrition they were eating prior to hatching. Sound like I need to try the mealworms myself as well, but don't have any on hand. My chicks DO love to chase the odd insect that finds it's way into the brooder (Chicks:2, Stink bugs and flies:0).

 

[centrarchid]

Centrarchid: what about the scrambled egg or cooked egg yolk? I realize that naturally they won't be eating that anymore, but that's the exact nutrition they were eating prior to hatching. Sound like I need to try the mealworms myself as well, but don't have any on hand. My chicks DO love to chase the odd insect that finds it's way into the brooder (Chicks:2, Stink bugs and flies:0).

Sorry for slow reply.

Scrambled or cooked egg is OK but my birds will fly to get at mealworms but will not do so for scrambled egg.

See link to see what chicks will do for mealworms. I am unable to get them to do same for scrambled eggs if they know what I am offering them as a reward.

 

[Chicken5ooh]

I agree, started giving them meal worms early and now they know the sound of the meal worm container lid coming off and they all start running. Meal worms are like Chicken Crack, they can't get enough of it...I was feeding them out of my hand but the barred rocks are getting too aggressive with it and starting to hurt my hand. Spaghetti works well, I think I will not be feeding them cooked eggs though. I do not want them knowing the taste of eggs period, I might grind egg shells up and feed them though for the calium.