Treats for chicks

[ktklages]

I'm new to the whole chicken experience and I'm curious as to when I can give my chicks some treats and what would be great to give them. They are currently less than a week old; exactly 6 days now. They're all doing great and they've been eating their medicated crumbles just fine, I just thought it might be nice to give them some variety from time to time. On a side note, I haven't had any pastings issues whatsoever... Not that I'm complaining, but is there a point in when I don't have to check their little rear ends anymore?

 

[JaxGrits]

My chicks are six weeks old and only recently became interested in treats. Figuring out their food and water was enough for them to worry about when they were 1-4 weeks old and I didn't want them to get confused and think the treats were their food because that chick starter has a lot of nutrients that they need to grow. Now my chicks love rice, grapes (cut up), cracker crumbles, strawberries (cut up) and dried meal worms. We started giving them mealworms as a treat at 4 weeks and they really liked those.

 

[sumi]

You can start giving them plain yoghurt, dried mealworms, fresh greens chopped into small pieces and scrambled egg, but only in small amounts so their diet still mainly consist of chick crumble. Also: it's very important that you give them grit in some shape or form when they eat treats, to help them digest it. This can be chick grit or coarse sand sprinkled over their food.

 

[ktklages]

Thanks for the feedback. They're eating the crumbles just fine, almost too much! I'll try a few of the suggestions posted. Is poultry grit the same as chick grit?

 

[tadpole98]

I feed mine hardboiled eggs.
really really small bits of it, i mash it with a potato masher.
and ive heard mealworms are good to!

 

[sumi]

Thanks for the feedback. They're eating the crumbles just fine, almost too much! I'll try a few of the suggestions posted. Is poultry grit the same as chick grit?

It similar, but look for "chick" grit. It's smaller pieces, so the chicks can ingest it easier.

 

[ktklages]

Thanks I guess I'm gonna have to go to a tractor supply by me because the southern states here only has poultry grit and they tried to tell me it works the same but is used for hardening their shells not helping chickens digest food. What?!?!

 

[sumi]

They must be talking about oystershell or digestible grit. Find some clean, coarse sand and sprinkle it over the chicks' food. It will work just as well.