Author Topic: Heeeeelp - no chick crumbs..... (Read 4300 times)

FiB · « **on:** July 04, 2013, 02:58:38 pm »

Well against the odds (she deserted for quite a few hours on a couple of occasions and routinely pooped on the eggs, ate a few I think....) I have 4 little chicks naturally hatched! New experience for me! I think the first hatched early yesterday and some today - how long can they be without chick crumbs?
They are all in a guinea pig hutch and mum has access to usual mixed grain (mixed with a bit of growers for protein) and water in a chick water thing..... but my van is stuck so I cant get out to buy chick crumbs. Should I do the mashed boiled egg thing? Could I grind up some growers pellets? Or will they be Ok till I can get out - might be tomorrow might be day after. I really didn't expect any to hatch but let here get on with it as she seemed so determined! Thanks in advance, Happy Fi!

doganjo · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2013, 03:05:19 pm »

Yes, grind up growers pellets to almost a dust, and yes to a little hard boiled yoke smashed up tiny as well. They can survive for 24 hours with no food in an incubator so probably same for under a broody, but no longer. Make sure they have access to water though as she'll teach them that first, and scatter some food so they learn to peck.
And don't forget to get the camera working - we LOVE babies!

Bionic · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2013, 03:13:53 pm »

I didn't have any chick crumbs for about a week. Mine lived on mashed up hard boiled eggs and thrived. Their mum loved it too. Also I read somewhere that they love clover leaves so after the first couple of days i was picking some of that for them too.

FiB · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2013, 04:48:21 pm »

Oh yes! They liked that - MANY thanks! Ground up some growers pellets (which were pretty small anyway) and mixed with a couple of hard scrambled eggs (assuming they don't have a preference

) and they fell on it like a pack of locusts. will try and get good pic later. Thanks again

Victorian Farmer · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:40:20 pm »

roling pin 2 pacs mc vitis bisgits and ground them flat 3 boiled mixt they will live happey on that and grow i do this for 2 weeks to give them a good start .Its the oils and fat that help best of luck fib .

Bodger · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2013, 07:44:12 pm »

I've used crumbled weetabix and the chicks have done fine on them.

FiB · « **Reply #6 on:** July 04, 2013, 08:38:55 pm »

Brill - that's it then - I'm not bothering with chick crumbs for these 4! Superb - And I have a glut of eggs so all round

!!!!! THANKS xxx

mojocafa · « **Reply #7 on:** July 04, 2013, 09:24:01 pm »

Agree with Vf I give mine digestive biscuits crushed and they love it

chrismahon · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2013, 04:04:04 am »

We give those artificially incubated chick crumb from 24 hours -the high protein is important, it's about 25% whereas growers is 15%. So crushed growers pellets and added egg would be fine. Don't use layers pellets as they have no tolerance to the high calcium content. For chicks naturally reared we give chick crumb with ACS, because Coccidiosis can be a problem outside with the first 6 weeks being the time they are most vulnerable.

Small Plot Big Ideas · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2013, 09:24:37 am »

digestive biscuits? that's a good idea - we had 2 chicks hatch about 2 weeks ago before we had managed to get chick crumb.

They seemed to manage okay for a day or so on porridge oats and loved the chick crumb when we eventually bought it but I wish I'd thought of giving them hard boiled egg and biscuits!