When to start giving fridge scraps to chickens?

[cjweaver13]

My girls are about 6.5 weeks old now and have been living off starter feed and the occasional bug they find. They've been on chicken grit for nearly 4 weeks and have free access to it now. When can I start giving some small amounts of food scraps like kale, tomatoes etc.… that are lingering in the fridge? The only real treat they've had is crushed up hard boiled eggs

 

[NatJ]

You could probably try a bit of stuff now.

If you chop the vegetables up small, and only serve a small amount, then either the chicks eat them, or they dry out quicky and become part of the bedding. (That way you don't have to pick out a mushy wet mess if the chicks didn't eat it.)

Chicks will sometimes gobble up a new food, but it is more common for them to be scared of it, then cautiously investigate, and it may take several tries before they are bold enough to actually EAT what you give them.

It is still best for them to eat mostly chick starter, so if they actually eat what you offer, don't give them too much.

 

[3KillerBs]

At 6 weeks they're more than old enough to be out in the run with access to grass, weeds, etc.

 

[Skyle]

I provide my chicks pieces of fruits and vegetables as soon as they go outside with the big girls. At that age they eat the grass when they freerange and can search for grit so they can digest everything. The age depends on many things. If they are raised by a broody, at one week of age they freerange with the flock. If they were born in an incubator, I'll wait until they are feathered enough to go outside (so, 6-8 weeks old)
I always cut everything in small pieces, even for the adults.
So, as soon as they have grit avaiable you could begin trying few small pieces.