When and how do you need to start probiotics, electrolytes, grit and scrambled/boiled egg/yokes?

[ChickenLittle5]

Our new Baby chicks are a couple of days old (shipped on Monday). So far I've only given them water, medicated starter feed, and ACV in today's water to help with pasty butt. Do they need electrolytes and probiotics/vitamins or just if they're looking ill? (I thought I watched a video from Cackle Hatchery a week ago which suggested giving them Amporal (sp?) for a week and then probiotics/vitamins the following week, but now I can't find the video, so maybe I dreamed that. LOL!) I'd rather not do the Amporal unless needed, but what about the probiotics and electrolytes? Also, when and how should I give them grit? Does it just go in a small bowl near the food? What about scrambled eggs, boiled egg yokes, or mealworms? How old should they be before they get any of that stuff? My son is raising the chicks for 4H, so I really want them to be friendly enough that he can care for them even when grown. I'm assuming if he gives them some yummy treats while they're young it will go a long way towards taming them.

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi You should provide grit if you give anything other than feed. You can give them probiotics or ACV for pasty butt, however it's important to provide plain water as well. They will adore you if you give them seeds and bugs. They would be eating seeds and bugs and using grit now if they were raised by a hen.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I give electrolytes/ probiotics/vitamins right after receiving them to help them through shipping stress, but sounds like your batch are doing ok so not really necessary to add those in.

The amprol is for coccidiosis, you're already doing medicated feed (I assume with amprolium, double check on the packaging) so I don't see the need for the amprol.

You can give them some cooked egg as a treat right now, just keep the amounts small. Grit should be given with any other treats to help them grind down the food item, you can either have it in a small dish on the side, or (for chick grit) I sprinkle a little on their food every few days, to ensure they get some but can't gorge on it.

 

[ChickenLittle5]

Hi You should provide grit if you give anything other than feed. You can give them probiotics or ACV for pasty butt, however it's important to provide plain water as well. They will adore you if you give them seeds and bugs. They would be eating seeds and bugs and using grit now if they were raised by a hen.

Probably a stupid question here, but I'm going to ask anyway...what type of seeds & bugs are appropriate for <1 week old? Dried mill worms?

I give electrolytes/ probiotics/vitamins right after receiving them to help them through shipping stress, but sounds like your batch are doing ok so not really necessary to add those in.

The amprol is for coccidiosis, you're already doing medicated feed (I assume with amprolium, double check on the packaging) so I don't see the need for the amprol.

You can give them some cooked egg as a treat right now, just keep the amounts small. Grit should be given with any other treats to help them grind down the food item, you can either have it in a small dish on the side, or (for chick grit) I sprinkle a little on their food every few days, to ensure they get some but can't gorge on it.

Thank you for answer so may of my questions! After losing our entire first batch to a predator, I'm being very cautious with this bunch and questioning everything. Do you put the probiotics/vitamins & electrolytes in the water together or do you have a separate waterer with each? Also, can they have egg whites or just yolks at this age? Does it differ if I scramble them vs. hard boiled?

 

[igorsMistress]

Probably a stupid question here, but I'm going to ask anyway...what type of seeds & bugs are appropriate for <1 week old? Dried mill worms?

Thank you for answer so may of my questions! After losing our entire first batch to a predator, I'm being very cautious with this bunch and questioning everything. Do you put the probiotics/vitamins & electrolytes in the water together or do you have a separate waterer with each? Also, can they have egg whites or just yolks at this age? Does it differ if I scramble them vs. hard boiled?

Scratch and dried bugs. Liv mealworms. Eggs both yolks and whites. Scrambled or hard boiled makes no dif but I wouldn't use a lot of oil/butter if you scramble. I just mash hard boiled real good and they demolish it.

 

[Chicken Heel]

I have never used medicated feed with baby chicks and have the philosophy that they need to be exposed to potential pathogens to increase immunity. It has worked for me for 50+ years.

 

[Opio]

I have never used medicated feed with baby chicks and have the philosophy that they need to be exposed to potential pathogens to increase immunity. It has worked for me for 50+ years.

Awesome

 

[rosemarythyme]

Probably a stupid question here, but I'm going to ask anyway...what type of seeds & bugs are appropriate for <1 week old? Dried mill worms?

Thank you for answer so may of my questions! After losing our entire first batch to a predator, I'm being very cautious with this bunch and questioning everything. Do you put the probiotics/vitamins & electrolytes in the water together or do you have a separate waterer with each? Also, can they have egg whites or just yolks at this age? Does it differ if I scramble them vs. hard boiled?

I use broken up dried mealworms for chick training (to teach them not to fear my hand).

For the probiotics etc the product I use is all 3 mixed together, so all of them are in one waterer. For the eggs, yolk and white should be good for them. Scrambled with minimal oil is ok (I find it easier to scramble) or hard boiled and finely chopped up.

 

[Baumshell28]

Hi welcome! I’m new here also & my flock of 12 are 3 weeks old. As per tons of helpful people here, I’ve given them electrolytes & probiotics together in their waterer. I feed them unmedicated chick starter crumbles. Since I also wanted to speed along the process of loving me, I started giving some treats of dried mealworms in the first week. I have an unused paint tray on one side of their trough/brooder that I put a lot of play sand in mixed with some DE (diatomaceous earth). Whatever they don’t eat from my hand, I kinda mix into the sand tray. They get a little treat, they get grit/sand and I watched them dust bathe & play for almost 2 hours one night! Also, as soon as I say “Treats”, they all come squawking & running to jump into my hands!!!
PS: week 3...they love strawberries & blueberries! That’s an all out game of keep away!!!

 

[Baumshell28]

Outside in the coop...Night # 1!