Chicks, good or bad

[JHherpetofauna]

I went to a feed store recently and saw all these baby chicks for 75 cents. That would really save allot on money compared to the 3.00$ rats. Wandering if these feed store chicks would be less healthy to feed then the rats. Speaking about paracitism, and other diseases. Thanks for any help, JH

[Scotty Allen]

They're good for some variety if you like, but not a steady diet. New hatched chicks don't have much nutritional value and will likely give your snake(s) the most foul smelling feces you can imagine.

[NewLineReptile]

Good for anacondas as they are the one thing the love but scotty allen is right the feces STINK big time

Brandon

[thunder]

once they are about two weeks old, their nutritional value increases greatly. ask about their age, and if they are old enough, bring em home and gutload em for about 2 days. do not feed them to your snakes alive, it is best to prekill and thoroughly wash them (or pluck and wash if u have work ethic). one caveat: some arboreals will begin to refuse rodent food if you feed them birds for a while.

[thunder]

same for baby ducks. my BCs eat them often.

[Piers]

Chicks, from what I've read (no age given) are almost the same as mice rats what have you. they have more fat and new hatched have very,very little calcium.
They are good for a change, but as stated before SINKY and lose.
Iv'e used them for almost 20 years with no problems other than the smell.
Piers

[Piers]

Oh yeah, I forgot, If you look around you can get them a lot cheeper than 75 cents, though you'll have to buy in bulk.
Piers