How much hard boiled egg to feed per baby chick?

[msrayna]

Hi,

I acquired about 30 doz eggs from a friend so I have decided to use them for my flock as my buyers love my girls eggs. I plan on freezing some for baking, quiche and hard boil or scramble for newly hatching chicks.

So the question, and I have looked and looked, IS "how much hard boiled or scrambled egg should one baby chick have per day?" I want to process and freeze them in portions to feed to the chicks that hatch.

Thank you for your time

Alisa

 

[BantamLover21]

Unless they are very weak, or sick and not eating normal feed, chicks don't need to eat eggs in any amount. The best thing to do with young chicks is offer them quality chick starter feed and fresh water (perhaps with some vitamins/electrolytes in it) 24 hours a day.

If you really want to feed chicks eggs, though, I would probably give each chick no more than 1 teaspoon of egg each day. They don't eat very much, and should fill up on chick starter feed instead.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I wouldn't feed to chicks either, they are best on a starter of 18 or more percent protein. I have scrambled up raw eggs, shells and all for the layers though. Not sure why you'd cook it first. If getting tossed on ground add in enough corn to stiffen up.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Last year all my chicks and turkey poults got scrambled eggs daily. They grew like weeds and became quite friendly without any handling. I didn't see any troubles from it and will now do it for all that I raise now.

It started out small, not even a whole eggs for 5-10, than as they grew they got a bit more. I was scrambling about 4 eggs for 20 chicks at 8 weeks. Wasn't a lot, more as a treat. Their poop was a bit more loose and light brown, and stunk a bit, but it was worth the pay off for me, and was a good use of my extra eggs.

Now with 66 adult chickens it takes quite a few dozen to give everyone a treat, but I get lots of eggs, and it can help with the feed bills.

 

[Mossy Dell]

Cooked eggs are a great supplement for chicks. AND a great way to tame them.

 

[Yucky_ducky_kentucky]

I’m thinking of giving them hard boiled eggs. Is this alright for baby chicks? What about kale? Or should I let them eat their chick food instead?

 

[CatWhisperer]

If you feed kale they will need grit. I would skip that for the first 4 weeks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I’m thinking of giving them hard boiled eggs. Is this alright for baby chicks? What about kale? Or should I let them eat their chick food instead?

I'd stick with the chick food and small bits of boiled egg could possibly be a training treat.

 

[Mossy Dell]

You might try googling how much hard boiled egg to feed. I came across it recently and it was many more chicks per egg than I'd thought. However, I start chicks on a small amount: maybe just the yolk daily for a dozen chicks.

Eggs are a perfect food, and great for chicks. I do not "treat" but supplement. I read eggs are 91% protein. Chicks and adult fowl need or benefit from animal protein. Thousands of chicks in the past were raised on dry oatmeal mixed with eggs. With today's mashes, there might be a concern with eggs kicking up the protein too much. But there seems to be a greater capacity for fowl to eat natural protein vs. soy and other concentrated supplements. Personally I like a high protein mash that I cut with some Quaker quick oats, for fiber and interest, and that lowers the official protein level. Then some egg supplement. I give chick grit by 3 days old, when I mix in some oatmeal and egg.

Decades ago, a study found that chicks given their own choice picked 18-19% protein. Now those chicks would correspond to today's heritage and fancy breeds. No doubt today's broilers need more protein.

Call "Chick! Chick! Chick!" when you give them eggs, and for the rest of their lives you can use that call to send them running to you.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I give my chicks a daily helping of scrambled eggs. I prefer them to boiled as everything is mixed together in the scrambled eggs. I generally start on day 3, it generally takes about 3 days before they start to really enjoy them. By 3-4 weeks of age they come running for them.

I start small. I pick them up after about 10-15 minutes if they haven't eaten them all. I start with about 1/2-1 egg for 15 or so chicks and work my way up to 3-4 eggs by the time they are 3-4 months. I usually have to stop feeding them after a while because all my chickens recognize the scrambled egg bowl, and I get mobbed.