When will chicks start eating?

[silkiefluffbum]

Hey i'm new to raising chickens and would like to know...
When do the chicks start having an appetitie? i've just hatched out two chicks the natural way, under a broody Silkie hen and they're not eating or drinking and it's their second day. I know that they can last up to 72 hours without food or water from the egg yolk but the mother won't even get up off them and let them eat or drink. I introduced them to chick starter feed and some water but they weren't very interested...I'm starting to worry. Did your chickens do this if you raised them the natural way and any ideas to help them start eating??

Thanks!

 

[nzpouter]

tap your finger on the crumble if you want them to eat... for water, dip the tip of their beaks in their drinker.....

personally I won't worry about it, you can put a bit of food in front of mum and she'll call out to them.

 

[silkiefluffbum]

Thanks for your post. I tried offering my hen some crumbles and she started eating and seemed to call for them but they still didn't seem interested. I also tried offering some starter crumbles to them and also didn't seem interested... Any other ideas??