Pine bedding for brooder

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thegavulichs

thegavulichs

In the Brooder
Apr 19, 2017
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We have 4 baby Plymouth Rock chicks. They are a just over a week old. We recently transitioned them to pine shaving. They seem to be digging at the pine, picking pieces up, and playing keep away. But they dig straight down to the bottom of the brooder, and pick at the little tiny pieces. Is it ok if they eat those little pieces? If so should I also put grit out for them? They know where their food and water is. But they just continue to pick at the shavings.
 
It is normal for them to pick at the shavings. Eating them is a normal behavior too, but you should either give them a bedding that is safe for eating or somehow train them to not eat the shavings. It is okay if they are digging, as long a second you teach them not to eat it. And AlWAYS provide grit.
 
As PP stated, grit will help redirect their attention. They are engaging in normal behavior. by giving them grit, and a plug of sod, you are directing that behavior in a healthy direction instead of destructive.
 
Is it ok to provide grit when we are just giving them chick starter feed? Also, when giving them grit, do you mix it with their feed or do you give it to them in a separate container?
 
All of the "they say" information you read will say that your chicks do not need grit if you only give them starter. I say, that chickens were given gizzards instead of teeth, and should be allowed to use them properly. Those gizzards are powerful muscular structures that contain sharp stone that the bird ingests. That stone works in the gizzard to grind their food. Chicks will ingest their shavings in an attempt to provide that sharp stone for their gizzards.
 
I'm a new chicken owner and have been providing chick grit (basically large sand) since they were a week old and they have definitely been eating it. They still scratch/dig in the shavings which is perfectly natural behavior and eat some of the small shavings. Doesn't seem to hurt them at all and they and they are growing just fine.
 
Hi Dayrl,
How old are your chicks now? sand doesn't do much for chicks. it's too small and goes right through them. you need granite grit. Granite grit will help exercise their gizzard . it will help them develop a larger, healthier, stronger gizzard .this is important because the gizzard grinds the food for digestion later on in the digestive tract . a better gizzard, exercised by Granite grit, as the chick grows... means more nutrition taken up from the feed in the GI tract . this can mean up to 20% more eggs per hen.
Search the internet for:
Gran-i-grit PDF : the 2nd page of the brochure has a grit feeding schedule explaining which size grit to feed at which age. I get my grit at Agway.
Best,
Karen
 
Last edited:
3riverschick said:
Hi Dayrl,
How old are your chicks now? sand doesn't do much for chicks. it's too small and goes right through them. you need granite grit. Granite grit will help exercise their gizzard . it will help them develop a larger, healthier, stronger gizzard .this is important because the gizzard grinds the food for digestion later on in the digestive tract . a better gizzard, exercised by Granite grit, as the chick grows... means more nutrition taken up from the feed in the GI tract . this can mean up to 20% more eggs per hen.
Search the internet for:
Gran-i-grit PDF : the 2nd page of the brochure has a grit feeding schedule explaining which size grit to feed at which age. I get my grit at Agway.
Best,
Karen
Click to expand...

I know. I'm using a commercial chick grit from Dumor. That's why I specified "large" sand.

As for specifying granite, I'm unconvinced that it is a necessity. I understand that calcium rocks are too soft for gizzard benefits, but there are plenty of other varieties of hard rock that these birds have evolved to use. Chickens have been picking a variety of rocks out of the dirt for 99.9% of their history and can figure out what size works for them naturally.
 

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