Why don't my chicks like treats?

[NicInNC]

I've tried melon, apples, yogurt and cooked corn on the cob and they won't eat ANY of it! They're only 5 weeks old. Is that still too young?

 

[gritsar]

No, not too young by most standards. Chicks tend to be afraid of new things. Are you leaving the treats in with them for awhile? Sometimes they'll be afraid for awhile until one of them gets brave enough to reach out and peck at a treat. The other chicks watch the brave one and then they all decide it's okay.
Try this: Chop up some hard boiled egg and sprinkle it on their regular chick starter. After awhile they learn that things that Mom or Dad brings them are good. I always use the same bowl to serve treats and they all come running when they see that bowl. Right now I'm in the house instead of outside with my chickens because my rooster won't let me eat my raisins in peace. If Mom has something, it must be for us.

 

[Jolyn]

Mine were exactly the same way. They didn't really know what to do with the scary treats until they went out in the coop at about seven weeks.

Just keep trying. They'll figure out that treats are yummy!!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I think that chicks raised with a Mama hen learn to eat new things sooner than chicks on their own. The Mama will teach them all the tasty things there are in the world to eat, calling them over with a "buk-buk-buk-buk!" and sometimes breaking things up into smaller bits for her babes to eat.

Once I was giving out corn on the cob to my assorted pens of birds, the chicks on their own weren't interested but the ones who had a Mama knew it was good because she had told them so.

You can try tapping your finger in the treat & calling "buk-buk-buk" to them like a Mama hen, they might understand what you're trying to say...

 

[cmom]

I agree with the previos posts.

Chicks are usually afraid of new things. Try leaving the treats in with them for awhile? Once they see one of them peck at the treats, the other chicks watch and then they all decide it's ok and follow the leader. It's true, after awhile they will figure out that you are bringing treats. Before you know it whenever you go up to them they will race over to you to see if you have any treats. Sometimes when I give them something new they may turn their noses up at it but before you know they are inspecting it.

 

[cyanne]

One way to get them to try something new is to sprinkle some of their chick crumbles on top. This worked perfectly for mine when they were little, now they go crazy for anything I give them!

 

[ams3651]

i started out with watermelon but it had to be cut into small pieces. I think they liked the red color. They were afraid of other things. Try halved grapes too.

 

[cmom]

Mine love watermellon. Luckily I grow alot.