What's this? Feeding eggs to your week old chicks? how?

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Eggshell is not the same as grit.

I suggest you limit the protien you feed them. Commercial feeds include all they need and anything more is OK until they are about 8 weeks. After that, excessive protien can cause joint problems like those experienced by heavy meat birds during their rapid growth. After 3 months of age, one egg per week per bird, spread out over the course of a week is OK.

For the chicks, I use parakeet grit. Shells go only to the adult birds, to help replenish calcium, and even then it's as a treat. Chicks don't need all that calcium.
Cooked eggs for chicks should be used sparingly, as Lollipop says.

Welcome, good luck with the chicks!

 

[kitchwitch]

if they're on commercial starter and starter alone, they don't need grit. If you want to start giving them treats you'll want to buy grit for them, it's usually comes in a smaller bag and you give it free choice.
Personally, I sprinkle fine sand over the babies food since i know they'll be getting treats and once they get bigger they'll be switched to grit.

 

[gritsar]

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That's how I did my chicks. First treat was hard boiled egg and then plain yogurt. Very small amounts.

 

[speckledhen]

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
My chicks were basically raised by speckledhen, tuffoldhen and a few others.
I just did the dirty work.

 

[ggrap]

Joel Salatin's book Pastured Poultry, says to mash them up with the shells and all. He does this for the first week, and says it gives them a great start. http://polyfacefarms.com/default.aspx

 

[CBee]

Quote:
That's so weird! I would think the shells would only be good for older pullets and hens...I might have to try it. Thanks.

 

[ggrap]

Any creature with bones needs calcium. It is just a question of degree. If they are not laying eggs, they do not need as much.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I fry it, when I give it to babies I don't get pasty butt. best for mailed chicks that had a hard time in shipping.I use candled eggs that were clear, just can't stand to through them away.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote:
We were talking about supplemental calcium in the form of eggshells fed to chicks, which is what I was addressing in the quote below. They do not need any calcium provided to them, other than what is in their chick starter.

speckledhen wrote:
Do not give them shells at all! They are too young for calcium. I feed chicks a little egg every few days, not every day, and not much. I dont feed grit myself when I do the soft eggs. And no other treats. I think you can feed chicks way too many treats, which messes with the protein and vitamin levels of the starter. They do well on starter alone.​