What to feed day old chicks in a pinch

[JenBirdRansom]

My chicks came and I just realized that THE DOG ate all the chick starter feed. What can I give them when I pick them up from the PO (in 15 minutes) before the feed store opens and I get a new bag of chick feed? Cooked egg yokes maybe?

Thank you for your help!!

 

[BantamLover21]

I would give them some cooked, unsalted/seasoned eggs, especially the yolks. Put some sugar or vitamins/electrolytes in their water, too. A little bit of applesauce could be fed as well.

Good luck!

 

[ChickenLove6]

Yes I agree, you could even scramble the eggs to make it easier for them to eat. Also sugar water is good for them, but not too much!

 

[BantamLover21]

Yes, as ChickenLove6 mentioned, don't give too much sugar water. Let them have it for 3-5 hours, and then replace it with plain water or water that has vitamins/electrolytes, possibly probiotics, in it.

 

[mithious]

I tried sugar water, for the very first time, and it gave almost ALL of mine pasty butt...will never try that again!!! Changed out to regular water after only an hour or so, but still ended up with pasty butt...once they got the sugar out of their systems, the pasty butt cleared up and never had a problem with it again!!! Just my experience with trying it!

Yes, eggs can be a great substitute in a pinch...but get them on the starter grower, as soon as possible! Make sure you mash the eggs up really well. I would stick with just eggs though. IMO, other things, when starting day olds, can cause things like pasty butt, and other issues!!! Again, just my own experience!

 

[JenBirdRansom]

THANK YOU everyone!! They are doing great! I cooked up some egg yokes and gave plain water and then raced to the feed store. They are all set up now living the good life. You guys are the best!!

 

[LoneOak]

mithious, why do you think the sugar water gave them pasty butt? I have seen it without sugar water several times, all it take is a warm wet rag and a little rubbing and its all gone. I've only used sugar water one time with many orders of chicks, some get pasty and some don't. I don't believe that the sugar water caused the problem which is really not a problem just something you have to deal with when raising baby chicks.

 

[mithious]

mithious, why do you think the sugar water gave them pasty butt? I have seen it without sugar water several times, all it take is a warm wet rag and a little rubbing and its all gone. I've only used sugar water one time with many orders of chicks, some get pasty and some don't. I don't believe that the sugar water caused the problem which is really not a problem just something you have to deal with when raising baby chicks.

Well. I had never tried it before for one, only gave it to them that one hour or so, they only had that one incidence of pasty butt, and the farmer that runs my feed store told me that sugar water will give them pasty butt, after I talked with him about it and told me to never give it to chicks again...since he has raised chickens longer than I have, runs a huge family run feed store for just about everything you can imagine, I tended to believe him, plus again, they only had it that one time, and it was all of them, not just a few...just my experience, I guess???

This was my first time ordering from a hatchery, not a breeder, and raising them myself and not having momma chicken do it...so even though I have been in chickens since the 60's, there was a lot of new things for me, getting back into chickens this year. Back when I was raising them, 60's thru about 80's with my Daddy, than when the kids were growing up, we did things a lot different than everyone does now...had never heard of putting sugar in water, never mind all the other new things I have learned here on BYC, which have helped me tremendously, it was one of those things that I tried and found was not for me...maybe it's the breed? I had never seen pasty butt before either! I got 15 BR's, maybe their constitution is different? IDK...just my experience with it!

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

THANK YOU everyone!! They are doing great! I cooked up some egg yokes and gave plain water and then raced to the feed store. They are all set up now living the good life. You guys are the best!!

Glad they are doing well!

I personally would never give sugar water to my chicks/chickens because there is a good chance it'll cause diarrhea. It might be helpful as long as it's given for a very short amount of time but I'm not going to chance it. The sugar draws water into the intestines and therefor will cause runny poop which raises the chances for pasty butt. Adding a bit of honey would be better than regular sugar. I personally use apple cider vinegar "with the mother". My chicks have been 110% all their 15.5 wks, maybe the ACV had nothing to do with it but thats what I'm going with

 

[mithious]

Glad they are doing well!

I personally would never give sugar water to my chicks/chickens because there is a good chance it'll cause diarrhea. It might be helpful as long as it's given for a very short amount of time but I'm not going to chance it. The sugar draws water into the intestines and therefor will cause runny poop which raises the chances for pasty butt. Adding a bit of honey would be better than regular sugar. I personally use apple cider vinegar "with the mother". My chicks have been 110% all their 15.5 wks, maybe the ACV had nothing to do with it but thats what I'm going with

Well that explains why my poor chicks got pasty butt from the short time they had sugar in them...glad I stopped it right away!!! Thanks for explaining why it does that! I think I only had one that didn't get pasty butt, when I tried the sugar water, and it was only for an hour or so...they did perk up, but I am sure it was a sugar high and seemed to "crash" from it too...just like we do, from too much sugar! I didn't try the ACV. After the pasty butt day, I just decided on plain water,( washing 16 butts all day and that night was a bit much ) which is what the feed store owner told me to do! He did give me a strange look when I told him about it...his look makes more sense now

My lot is 110% too. Have been very happy with this hatchery I got them from! I only had one fatality, a horrible accident and it was my fault!!! This was my first time ordering from a hatchery too. Got the name off a list on here...love BYC and all the people here!!! Huge thanks for explaining the sugar reaction!