When to offer treats?

[AinaWGSD]

It's been a hot minute since we raised day old chicks, so I've forgotten. But how old are your chicks when you start to offer foods other than chick starter? I know we can't offer them until we have grit available, but how young is too young?

 

[Kiki]

I'd not ever offer treats but if you must it's better to wait until they are full grown and then only offer a tiny tiny amount occasionally.

 

[Kiki]

The chick feed is balanced...has what the need to grow properly.
Feeding treats takes away from them getting a balanced diet.
Not getting a balanced diet sets them up for all kind of trouble later on down the road.

 

[Debbie292d]

What's a good treat is when I put some of their starter in a small ceramic dish and run warm water over it. They LOVE that!

 

[Alagirl]

I offered treats once they were all gritted up and in their run.
A small hand full of worms in the evening so they know I bring goodies (and it helps rounding them up should they be out)

And some economy birdseed in the morning to entertain them, as the run is bare dirt since week 2 of their arrival.

I second the mush idea. It always cracked me up how they dove in the bowl for the same food they had in their feeder, but it was MUSH now!

they are now getting mush again in the morning made with warm water.

 

[Sally PB]

What's a good treat is when I put some of their starter in a small ceramic dish and run warm water over it. They LOVE that!

It's my chickens' favorite treat too!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I start offering them maybe around a week or so, and we're talking like 2 mealworms each a day, so very small amounts. Just to get them more used to our hands so we're not just the scary hand-bearers moving the waterer around and checking under the heating pad.