Effects of Feeding Oatmeal to Baby Chicks

Oats and oatmeal are an important supplement for growing chicks. A healthy addition of oats to the feed given to chicks can improve their health and increase growth and weight gain. The benefits and effects that oats have on a chick's growth and health can make a large difference in the overall health of a chick. Use oats as a supplement with other grains, as a mixed and varied diet is best for maximum chick health.

  1. Formula

    • The formula for feeding chicks changes depending on the age of the chick. For the first week after hatching, after the second day, feed the chicks a mixture of hardboiled egg crumbles and oatmeal. After the first week, create a mash of 2 parts bran, 2 parts oatmeal, 1 part corn and 1/2 part ground meat. Feed this formula to the chicks for 10 weeks. After the chicks are 10 weeks of age, switch to an equal mixture of wheat, hulled oats and corn for the chick's grain mixture. The chicks should also eat grass after 10 weeks.

    Nutrients

    • Many healthy vitamins are present in oatmeal that is necessary for healthy chick growth. Included in oats are vitamins B1 and B2, as well as niacin, which is also a B vitamin. Another vitamin that oats contain is choline. Natural calcium is also found in oats, which chicks need for bone strength. Iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese and fluorine are also nutrients found in oats. Oats also contain 14 percent protein, which is a very healthy addition to a chick's diet.

    Growth

    • According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farmers' Bulletin, a chick that receives a healthy amount of oats in its diet will grow stronger and healthier than chicks without the oats. The oats also enable the chicks to grow faster without compromising on the strength or health of the birds. However, it is important not to overfeed chicks, as this can be more dangerous than underfeeding.

    Amount

    • The correct amount of food to feed chicks is just enough that they can completely eat in about five minutes or less. If there are leftovers after five minutes of eating, the chicks should have less food. In the first few weeks, the chicks should be fed five times a day. After about two or three weeks, switch the chicks so that they eat three times a day. After 10 weeks, the chicks can eat twice a day.