Veggies

[andrew3waz]

Hey,
I read that you can put lettuce in your chick brooder is that true? Also I have a lizard that I feed crickets and I was wondering could I put a few crickets in there? The chicks are a week old today is there any new foods I should introduce?

Thanks,
andrew3waz

 

[speedyfuzzball]

Hey, I would hold off on the treats until they're a little older. When you do feed anything besides starter, don't forget to provide grit as well!

 

[jdoane]

AT one week I was doing plain yogurt mixed in with some of the Chick starter and setting out a little dish for them. I use the cleaned out top of an old peanut butter jar as a dish for my 5 chicks. I mixed about 3/4 cup of starter with a heaping tablespoon of yogurt. I mix it around until it's all combined. And then I give them about 1/3 of that. The rest goes in the fridge for another day. They LOVE it and the yogurt is good for them. And they don't need extra grit for that.

The other thing I did was scrambled eggs every once in a while. It took them a few times to decide they like those but now they love them.

I waited until 2 weeks trying other things. They LOVE a couple cherry tomatoes cut up. Chase each other all over the brooder!!!! I also tried cucumber but they didn't like those much. With anything like this make sure you are providing chick grit.

When ever I bring them a treat like that I say "Chook, Chook, Chook!" (as recommended by another member) They come running!! I'm hoping that eventually they will come running even if I don't have food!

 

[blynn025]

Thanks for this!! I came on here today specifically with this question. I just got my 4 girls today, 2 buff Orpingtons and 2 silkies. They just hatched on Monday. I want to start hand feeding treats asap to tame them and teach them to come when called. I will wait until they are two weeks. But I will start the scrambled eggs next week.

Thanks!!

 

[jdoane]

Seriously try the yogurt mixed with their feed too. Mine are nuts over it and the probiotics help their little tummies (you could do that this week!) Mine have gotten so spoiled that this morning when I went to check on them they were clearly waiting for their little dish of yogurt feed!

Since tomatoes are one of their favorite treats I now feed those out of my hand. Messy but it has really helped some of the shier chicks.

Have fun!!!

 

[andrew3waz]

Seriously try the yogurt mixed with their feed too. Mine are nuts over it and the probiotics help their little tummies (you could do that this week!) Mine have gotten so spoiled that this morning when I went to check on them they were clearly waiting for their little dish of yogurt feed!

Since tomatoes are one of their favorite treats I now feed those out of my hand. Messy but it has really helped some of the shier chicks.

Have fun!!!

Thanks jdoane,

I will have to get the yogurt how much do you think should use for 27 chicks and how often?

Thanks,
andrew3waz

 

[jdoane]

I would start with 1 cup of the chick starter feed and a very generous tablespoon of yogurt for the first time. Mix it up and divide it out into several little dishes (or paper plates) so there's a few feeding stations for that many chicks. Sometimes they take a few introductions to decide if they like it and you don't want to waste too much. If they do like it you'll end up needing to make a larger amt each time. When I make about a cup I get 3 times out of it but only for 5 chicks. There really isn't any recipe - some people give straight up yogurt but I hear that's incredibly messy!

 

[Aronia]

I have 1-day old chicks. Any good treats or activities for them?

 

[blynn025]

1 day old? I wouldn't do much with them yet. They are very frail the first week. I would stick with your chick starter and very gentle handling if any for the first week. Keeping an eye out for pasty but of course. At a week you can introduce organic plain yogurt, but just a little bit. Chicks love it and I still feed it to my grown chickens. Do not bring your chicks outside until they are about a month old unless they are on medicated chick starter.