Chicken treats

[3 Chicks]

I am new to chickens and have loved this site! My question is: I keep trying to give my 6 week old chicks treats but they aren't at all interested in them. I've tried green beans, lettuce, tomatos, apples, etc. Are they too young, still?

 

[fried green eggs]

I give my young ones scratch as their first treat then, they quickly learn anything I throw in for them is a treat. They will eat and try almost anything. lol

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Some chickens are just picky. My chicks favorite treat at that age was if I took bananas, apples, carrot cubes, and milk in a bowl. They went crazy! But if I watched them, some drank the milk, some ate the bananas, and some only ate apples. They picked out the ones they liked and ate those. Try again in a few weeks, they might just be unsure of what you are giving them. Try milk though, it is good for them and they love it!

Also, did you cut the treats into little pieces? Sometimes that helps.

 

[real_redhead]

Mine love corn cobs, they are 6 weeks old and after we eat the corn I throw the cobs in for the girls and they love it. After just a few minutes they will have cleaned the cob! Oh and spaghetti noodles, I cut it up in small pieces and they go crazy! Still working on other treats like tomatoes and lettuce they usually run from that, silly girls

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Oh and spaghetti noodles, I cut it up in small pieces and they go crazy!

My old hens love the spaghetti sauce more than the noodles! It's usually time for a bath after that!

 

[Txwingnut]

Has anyone had any luck with using wild bird seeds?

 

[LunaticCafe]

I do give my chooks wild bird seed, and they eat it with moderate interest. They inhale it if I ferment it! See the Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds thread for info on that if you are not familiar with fermenting feed.

I gave my chicks a variety of treats starting at an early age, hoping that would encourage them to eat a wide variety. Generally, the first time they saw something they were very hesitant about it; generally the second or third time they would get interested. The exception was june bugs; they were a hit the first time!

 

[Txwingnut]

Thanks Ill give that a shot. The wild seed is so much cheaper than the chicken specific treats and much larger bags!

 

[OnceAroundTheBlock]

I've got some picky or psycho pullets, not sure which, maybe they're both.

I've thrown in some sliced up zucchini and yellow squash in their run before and they ate it right up.

I decided that's pretty nasty to eat it all covered with dirt so I bought them a large suet holder from Walmart the other day.

Sliced up some zucchini and yellow squash, put it in the holder and hung it up for them to pick away at it.

That was 2 days ago and it's still untouched.

Maybe they'll like the bugs better that will soon be eating the spoiled squash.

 

[Vicky2479]

I was told by the guy I got the first lot of chicks from not to bother giving them greens or treats till they are POL so I didn't till about 3months they flat out refused to eat anything I offered them but afew weeks later they were all over anything I put I their pen, they really love anything cooked, cheese and yogurt goes before you can blink, funnily enoug though anything veggieish get left till last