When are additions to Starter Feed ok?

[jdoane]

I've read a lot about treats and more importantly the probiotics to give your chickens. I particularly like the idea of giving the chicks some yogurt for the probiotic piece. But I had been thinking we should stick to just the Chick Starter feed for a while. Thoughts???

And what about the boiled egg yoke - I'm assuming that's hard boiled? And also I'm assuming that the idea of feeding your chickens egg as a cause for egg eaters is an old wives tale??

 

[Wyandottes7]

You can safely start feeding chicks other food as soon as they have found the starter feed and are eating it readily. Yogurt is definitely a good idea, for any age bird. And yes, you can give birds hard boiled egg yolk, or scrambled eggs. As long as the eggs don't look like an egg with a shell, birds should not begin egg eating if they are fed eggs.

So, yes, I certainly give your chicks some treats! It is a good idea to get them used to eating other foods at an early age, as, if you don't, they might not eat some of those things later on in life. Yogurt, applesauce, small pieces of fruit, greens, etc, these are all good for chicks. My chicks (and the adult chickens) love mealworms, too (you can find these at wild bird feed stores, or even ordinary Wal-Marts) But, if you give them grass or anything other than chick crumbles, you need to give them grit. Many pet stores sell canary or parakeet grit, and this grit works well for small chicks.

Hope I've helped, and enjoy your chicks!

 

[jdoane]

Thanks Wyandottes7. Yes that is helpful! Do you need to start chick grit even if just yogurt and egg yoke? And what is the best way to give them the grit. Do you just put it in a little dish or sprinkle it in their crumbles?

 

[Wyandottes7]

I don't think you need grit for soft foods like yogurt and egg yolk; its really only needed for tough things like grain, plants, fruits, etc. I'd sprinkle it over their food. If you put it in a dish, they might think that it is food, and might eat too much of it, which wouldn't be good.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

Just to add my 2 cents because it's always good on these forums to get different opinions

I do not sprinkle grit over their food. I place a bunch in a bowl and offer it free choice. I have never had an issue and chickens will eat grit as needed. I do not believe there is any real reason to feed treats because the chick starter has everything they need for a healthy diet. But it's funny as heck to see them fight over treats and it can help you bond with them but they will learn to eat other foods as time goes by. And, I've read this a lot and experienced it first hand, when raising chicks in a brooder they don't get to watch their mom and learn that way, sometimes you have to offer things multiple times before they decide its yummy. I do add apple cider vinegar with the mother in their water though, love that stuff. Around 3wks old I started offering grit, fed them the occasional scrambled egg and cheese. I tried yogurt but my chicks threw hissy fits so I gave up. I stopped feeding treats for awhile because I didn't feel like it was that important. Around 8-9wks old I started giving frozen fruit because of the heat and now at 17wks old they get a small amount of kitchen scraps every day