Donuts?

[rmonge00]

Hi,

I have some chicks that are 2 1/2 weeks old and have been exclusively eating starter feed. I have some stale powdered donuts that I would love to throw into the brooder - can I do this or do they need grit first? If so, what should I use as grit? sand? How about feeding them bugs? I know they would need grit for that, but what size and how should I give it to them?

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[aprhardy]

I don't know about the donuts part, but I do know about the grit and bugs part. I was reading on the site someone said give them dirt from outside, it will get them used to what they will be eating when they are out of the brooder, plus the dirt works as small grit for them. I've been doing this for over a week with my chicks and no problems, and they love it. It is like a treat for them to have some fresh dirt. I've also been giving them crickets, meal worms and wax worms. I don't see why donuts would hurt them, as long as you didn't give them too much bc of the bread and sugar, but I'd give them some dirt/grit with it. Hope this helps!

 

[shesaredroan]

HA!!! Your question about donuts made me think of something that happened back in the early '70.

My boyfriend and 1 of his friends were calf ropers. They needed to buy some calves to practice with, but goats were what they could afford. So 20 goats came to the barn.
Another guy, who stalled his horse at the barn, (Brian), wanted to learn how to rope, so my boyfriend and his friend told Brian (who had not invested in buying the goats), if he paid for the feed and fed the goats, they would teach him how to rope.

After about 2 week the goats got so fat they couldn't run very fast, so they weren't much good for roping practice. Mike and Mac asked Brian "just WHAT are you feed'n those goats?"........

DONUTS!!! Brian's parents owned THE Donut Shop in town and he was feeding them day old donuts along with their grain. LOL LOL

Chick/chickens LOVE bread!!! They get silly, greedy and pushy, they'll even sometimes jump up to take it out of your hand. Just don't give too much at a time, and yes be sure they have grit.
And enjoy the show they put on.

 

[ralleia]

I'm all for tossing table scraps and slightly old food for the chickens to have, but doughnuts don't count as food.

All that is is flour, hydrogenated oil, and sugar. I don't even put those in my compost!

 

[rmonge00]

So, how many donuts is too much? I have 25 chicks and I was going to throw in 1 or 2 per day. What d\\should I use as grit? Just sandy soil?

 

[Judy]

One or two a day probably won't hurt, but not exactly a recommended treat, as others have said. They're pretty small for junk food -- they're growing fast now.

On grit, I'd either buy the chick grit from the TSC or your feed store, or just get a bag of adult grit and give them the fine stuff at the bottom. Sand will work for chicks but is too small for adults. You can sprinkle a little on the feed now, but as they get bigger I prefer it to be offered separately. You can make a grit feeder out of a soda bottle easily enough.

Many on here say they don't need grit if they have access to the outdoors -- thus the clump of dirt suggestion. (They will enjoy the clump of dirt with grass anyway.) I feel it depends on your soil. Those who have granite in the area and fine granite in their soil should not need grit.

If you offer it separately, at least to mature birds, they shouldn't take it if they don't need it. It takes mine a year to go through a $6 bag, but evidently they do need a little, I figure.