What age can chicks start eating treats?

[3KillerBs]

But i dont have any grit, is that ok? None of my chicks have ever used grit, three generations are fine.

What sort of ground are they on?

For many people, the soil the chickens have access to has the grit they need.

 

[Gayleyy]

They do have chick grit, I have never used it personally. Commercial chicken feed usually has some grit in it but, I always offer grit to my flock. I have both oyster shell and poultry grit (granite) because some prefer one or the other. I also give my chicks hard boiled egg they love it and it keeps them healthy! As soon as they start eating it I offer treats.

 

[Alagirl]

But i dont have any grit, is that ok? None of my chicks have ever used grit, three generations are fine.

where are they housed? On real soil? They will find grit there. it's just little stones they swallow to grind the food in their crop.

my chicks were a few days old when some sort of bug buzzed past the brooder. All heads shot up and followed the noise. Those little Velociraptors know that bugs are yummie, never having seen one.

I was going to say, 'don't fret about treats' but here I am, making warm mush for my hens (because it's Spring and everything froze this morning). Having a routine is good: when it was hot last summer, the mush was made with cold water. when the world froze around Christmas, hot water it was. In the morning they get half a cup of birdseed (enrichment) scattered, in the evening it's mush and 'worms' dried meal- or soldier worms. The latter came in handy when I had not latched the run and the ladies were taking a stroll about the yard. GET YOUR WORMS!!! and they were all back in safely.
But yeah, anything not crumbles (which is the base for the mush they love so much) requires little stones to grind down.

 

[_meels_ the chicken mom]

where are they housed? On real soil? They will find grit there. it's just little stones they swallow to grind the food in their crop.

my chicks were a few days old when some sort of bug buzzed past the brooder. All heads shot up and followed the noise. Those little Velociraptors know that bugs are yummie, never having seen one.

I was going to say, 'don't fret about treats' but here I am, making warm mush for my hens (because it's Spring and everything froze this morning). Having a routine is good: when it was hot last summer, the mush was made with cold water. when the world froze around Christmas, hot water it was. In the morning they get half a cup of birdseed (enrichment) scattered, in the evening it's mush and 'worms' dried meal- or soldier worms. The latter came in handy when I had not latched the run and the ladies were taking a stroll about the yard. GET YOUR WORMS!!! and they were all back in safely.
But yeah, anything not crumbles (which is the base for the mush they love so much) requires little stones to grind down.

Ok. So i dont use grit, but when there ourside at 2 months, most likly eating dmall stones and dirt, they can also eat treats?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Commercial chicken feed usually has some grit in it

No it does not. You will not find it on the ingredients list. This came up so often on here that I emailed Purina about it. They do not put grit in their chick or chicken feed. Chicken feed, whether mash, crumbles, or pellets has been ground already and the moisture in their digestive system will break crumbles or pellets down so they do not need grit to digest it.

Ok. So i dont use grit, but when there ourside at 2 months, most likly eating dmall stones and dirt, they can also eat treats?

One of the first things my broody hens do when they bring the chicks off of the nest is take them somewhere they can peck at the ground. This gets grit in their system. I'm not a broody hen so I don't do that, but after two or three days in the brooder I feed them a small amount of dirt so they can get grit and some other things. I don't feed them treats in the brooder but if a hard shelled bug wanders in they can eat it without a problem. The grit enables them to grind things up in their gizzard. Grit replaces the molar teeth they don't have.

You can wait until they are outside and pecking at the dirt to feed them treats if you want. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[_meels_ the chicken mom]

No it does not. You will not find it on the ingredients list. This came up so often on here that I emailed Purina about it. They do not put grit in their chick or chicken feed. Chicken feed, whether mash, crumbles, or pellets has been ground already and the moisture in their digestive system will break crumbles or pellets down so they do not need grit to digest it.


One of the first things my broody hens do when they bring the chicks off of the nest is take them somewhere they can peck at the ground. This gets grit in their system. I'm not a broody hen so I don't do that, but after two or three days in the brooder I feed them a small amount of dirt so they can get grit and some other things. I don't feed them treats in the brooder but if a hard shelled bug wanders in they can eat it without a problem. The grit enables them to grind things up in their gizzard. Grit replaces the molar teeth they don't have.

You can wait until they are outside and pecking at the dirt to feed them treats if you want. Nothing wrong with that.

Thankyou! Thats the answer i was looking for, phew. I thought i had to use grit, but i never have. So i felt as if im doing it wrong. But ill wait till there outside

 

[David61]

about two weeks old i start with raisens and dried meal worms. I roll the raisin between my fingers and break it open so they can get to the pulp. They get trips to the yard for sun and free range in a small pin if its warm.

 

[_meels_ the chicken mom]

about two weeks old i start with raisens and dried meal worms. I roll the raisin between my fingers and break it open so they can get to the pulp. They get trips to the yard for sun and free range in a small pin if its warm.

I would let them in a pen outside supervised but its only 40 degrees rn in MN.

 

[David61]

no baby goes unsupervised lol . yea, most days even in winter here are 60+ although our high today is 56. It has been 75 most of the month.

 

[_meels_ the chicken mom]

no baby goes unsupervised lol . yea, most days even in winter here are 60+ although our high today is 56. It has been 75 most of the month.

What state do you live in? It seems very warm there