Baby Chick Grit Substitute?

MayberrySaint

Chillin' Out
12 Years
Mar 7, 2007
994
13
161
Mount Airy, NC
I have some babies coming next week and feel all prepared except for Baby Chick grit. My local feed store does not carry it. I have seen several suggestions while browsing the forum but wonder if there is a consensus opinion? Any help would be appreciated.
 
If you are feeding a commercial chick feed, you do not need grit. It is made in the feed. If you feed the chicks anything else on a regular basis, try some washed play sand in a container in the brooder for grit.
 
I, too, use the play sand as grit for new chicks only I take a pan outside and get some very fine loose dirt and mix it all together. This way, once they get used to the new monster in the brooder, they will play in the dirt/sand, learn to dust bathe, and have the extra grit if they need it. Works great!
 
I am using grit I bought at our local pet store for about $1.00. Its actually made for parakeets/canaries and the like, but its just the right size for the chickies. Plus, they love to scratch and dust bathe in it! It is pretty much the same as play ground sand, so you could use that too. If you have many chicks, I would go with the play sand as you can get a really big bag for not alot of cash (generally less than $10). If you have only a few chicks, you could go with the smaller box of canary/parakeet grit as by the time the box is gone, the chicks will be big enough for larger grit anyway.
 
If they're on a commercial chick starter only, they don't really need the grit. However, if you spoil your babies with treats like meal worms and hard boiled eggs (like most of us here do!) you should use it. At least, thats what I heard. I suppose you dont really need to give them vitamins either, but it cant hurt!
 
Hard boiled eggs are not hard like cracked corn, that is the reasoning for grit, to grind hard stuff, you will still be safe when feeding soft foods. The commercial chick starter is safe because it was made to turn to mush with water.
 
I just bout CHICK GRIT...how do I give it to the chicks... it was suggested when the feed store heard that I had given them eggs...do I mix this grit in with their Chick starter feed? ( Yes, I have read that it is not necessary while the Chicks are on Chick Starter Crackles...)
Do I put this Grit in with the Starter OR put the Grit in it's own tray feeder?
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