WAIT ON BUGS!!!

[little chick-y baby mama]

this is not a question, but a warning. Do NOT feed chickens three weeks and under bugs! Even that is a stretch. If you feed them that and they are too young, their digestive system with clog and they will die. If you insist on it, though, make sure to mix it with small amounts of grit.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Not true. Young chicks are taught to eat bugs by their mother as soon as they hatch. Grit is important though, as it is what grinds up their food and helps them digest the hard exo-skeletons of insects they eat. I recommend giving mealworms and small easy to digest bugs to them after 2-3 weeks of age, and focus mainly on starters feed at first.

 

[little chick-y baby mama]

I am sorry. This is my first time owning chicks and I am trying to help others.

(thanks for the tip!)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Not true at all. They need grit to grind anything not chick crumble, but I've had mama's that only fed bugs and small seeds to chicks from hatch (it was February and we hadn't known to buy chick feed for an apparently nesting bird )

 

[little chick-y baby mama]

dang. I feel terrible.

 

[citymeetscountry]

Yep, mine were eating crickets and such they’d find in their brooder last year pretty early. It was actually fun to catch a cricket and throw it in for them as they’d scramble to see who would get it. Kind of hard to keep them from eating it if they have access to it

 

[CHlCKEN]

dang. I feel terrible.

It’s okay! We all make mistakes!

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

I am sorry. This is my first time owning chicks and I am trying to help others.

(thanks for the tip!)

It's ok! Just please, if you're trying to help, be sure to know what you're talking about! Thanks for trying to help!

 

[Weeg]

dang. I feel terrible.

I am sorry. This is my first time owning chicks and I am trying to help others.

(thanks for the tip!)

Don't worry about it. Everyone makes mistakes, did this happen to your babies? If it did I'm so sorry. Just because your advice was wrong, doesn't mean you didn't help others. You shared a personal experience with your hypothesis, then your hypothesis was corrected, and now everyone who reads this thread will know that you can feed chicks insects, as long as you feed grit as well.
Welcome to BYC! We're so happy to have you!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Yep, mine were eating crickets and such they’d find in their brooder last year pretty early. It was actually fun to catch a cricket and throw it in for them as they’d scramble to see who would get it. Kind of hard to keep them from eating it if they have access to it

I gave a week old a superworm once (I took it back and gave safe, dried meal worms instead after getting a good laugh.) Thing was larger than their heads curled up being run around with