Treats??!!! What are the best and most healthy???

[AlicesSilkies]

Hi Guys,
i am a little bit stuck on what treats i can give my chickens and what age i can start giving them mealworms?
I have 5 chicks a month and 1 week old and 3 ex battery hens, not sure of their age but i would probably say about 2 years oldish.

I started giving my chicks a mealworm in the evening when i would get them out for a little get to know but they started to have runny poo, so i stopped. So can i get them the mixed seed and meal work chunks to hang up or are they still to young?

Any help will be fab!!
Thanks in advance

 

[devora]

Are you a providing grit?

If you search BYC you'll see 893,723,192 ideas about treats.

I give scrambled eggs, cheese, scratch, melons, grapes, yogurt, cooked rice, meat. They love 'em all. I choose to wait until they a few months before treats, but there's no reason they can't start early.

In an ironic twist, chicken is their all time pop fave.

 

[centrarchid]

Mine seem to prefer mealworms and insects in general over all else. Once they are about a month old they will begin to regard green plant material as a treat if it is not already in diet. Mine become particularly partial to red and white clovers. They will also pound down raw fish which I often supply in the form of smelt which comes in a size that is easily chopped / minced. They like variety which is a treat in itself.

 

[onebigglo1]

I found a wasp nest the other day that had about 5 larvae in it and decided to see if my 10 week olds would like them. They were fighting over them! I also like to give my chicks grape tomatoes and grapes.

 

[AlicesSilkies]

Thanks guys

 

[centrarchid]

I found a wasp nest the other day that had about 5 larvae in it and decided to see if my 10 week olds would like them. They were fighting over them! I also like to give my chicks grape tomatoes and grapes.

Mine will also go to some lengths for grapes but interest in such fair is a function of what else is in diet. If greens from foraging abundant they seem less interested in grapes.