# When to offer solids and water??



## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Ok so I picked up my babies this afternoon, crops are nice and full and breeder said they shouldn't need feeding till the morning. My question is, when should I offer seeds, pellets, veges and water? The oldest is about 4 weeks and the younger one is about 3 weeks I think, she was a little vague on their exact ages.

Here's a piccy of them, how old would you say? The older one is a little plucked, he's a boy though, no wingspots


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

What I do is as soon as I pull them at 3 weeks I put a millet in the bottom of the brooder. When I notice them eating that I sprinkle seed and pellets. Then when they are interested in that I start adding some soft fresh foods. Good luck. They are very cute.


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

I don't worry to much about water tell they are moving around the cage well. Then I add a dish of water.


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## DyArianna (Aug 7, 2011)

With mine, I pull them at 3 weeks.. I give them a week in the brooder to get used to that and hand feeding. Then between 4 and 5 weeks I move them to a small cage if they are fully feathered. I give them millet in there and when I see them interested in that I sprinkle seeds on the bottom. Once the babies are doing well with perching on my finger, somewhere between 4 and 5 weeks, I will add a low lying perch to their cage. Usually within a couple of days I find them on it. I start giving them pieces of veggies at this time too. When they can perch well I will put in a covered water dish. When they can maneuver around the sides of the cage well, I add a higher perch and a swing and then a toy or two. I have had good luck with mine with giving them a week in between making major changes to their surroundings.


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## morla (Aug 15, 2011)

There so cute!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Mother Nature's plan is for chicks to start learning to feed themselves after they fledge. I co-parent my chicks and it's easy to see when they've left the nest. It's obviously harder to tell with chicks in a brooder.

Before my chicks fledge, I put them in a small carrier with seed and pellets sprinkled on the bottom when I take them out of the nest for handfeeding. They're interested in this food prior to fledging, but I don't make a serious effort to encourage self-feeding until after they've fledged.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

It was about 4 weeks when mine was trying food since they watched mom and dad eat their veg
I also remember ginny attacked the water and she got a shock ha ha bless her


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## geenz (Apr 4, 2011)

Hahaha awww silly little Ginny  Ok I'll pick up some millet today for them, they were keen for a feed this morning when I got up! Now they're happily snuggling together in the brooder


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