Feeder chicks vs Rats/Mice

[Rhetoric]

Anyone know any of the nutritional info for chicks?
Are chicks harder to digest because of those gnarly feet and their beaks?

I've got a few e-mails out to local farms asking if they'd sell me any chicks. If not I'll finally make the plunge and order some from rodentpro. The only down side to rodentpro is that I'd need to order enough to make shipping worth while.

 

[CrankbaitJedi]

I have been picking up chicks from Rodent Pro at my local KC herp shows for awhile now to save on shipping.

My personal experience with chicks has been awesome. I raised my B&W almost exclusively on chicks and roaches and she is freaking awesome! She is pushing 42 inches and 14 lbs (weighed her yesterday) in 2 years. Not bad for a poultry diet.

There have been no issues with breaking down feet, beaks or anything either. If they have the proper heat to use, they will break down almost anything. The only think left that I can make out is the down feathers.

I have done a little research and mice are marginally higher in nutritional value but not enough for me to say one is king. I have used chicks as a main staple (along with occasional mice and roaches) for years with both monitors and now tegus.

Chicks are a fraction of the cost (.12/chick) of adult mice and they are giving me good results. I have yet to breed anything yet (haven't tried) so I can't speak to that part of nutrition in supporting a 'breeder'. I have kept mostly male animals and they have all grown like weeds and have had no issues.

My experience. I dig chicks. hehehehehehe.

 

[Bubblz Calhoun]

The only thing they can't digest is the down feathers, the same as fur for rodents. Although Natsuki handles them better than Korben but that may just be because Natsukis poop is bigger than Korbens so it's easier to hide.

https://secure.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_03.asp

 

[Rhetoric]

I'm almost positive this was the first time the hybrid has had them. It took a few minutes for him to figure out what to do with it lol. The chicks are quite a bit cheaper, they don't have to eat as many chicks as they do jumbo mice. They also seem to like the chicks more, that may or may not be because they've only had them a few times vs hundreds of times for mice.

 

[kellen.watkins]

I can't wait til next spring/summer after vanilla hibernates I'm ordering a bunch of chicks/mice from rodent pro I wanna try and feed my gu's something different each day