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babies - questions - sand, worms, dust bath

post #1 of 8
2/20/12 at 4:42pm
Thread Starter 

My babies are now 10 days old. They are thriving well. 

I have been treating them to earthworms from the yard (so funny to watch!), mealworms, and I bought a bag of crickets from the pet store, scrambled eggs, raw oats a treat or two a day when we sit with them. - is this all ok?

Do i need to give them "grit"? they are on chick starter - non medicated.

I put a box with (clean) sand in it, in the brooder, I thought they would like to dust bathe.. well, they love the box and all cram in it.. but to eat the sand! Is that bad? Just like kids at the playground.. eating the dang sand. I took the box out, till I could consult you all LOL.

They are just so friendly and sweet. When I sit with them, they climb all over me and coo and sleep and well, poop haha I have so much extra laundry now... lol

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post #2 of 8
2/20/12 at 6:53pm

Yes, if you are giving them mealworms, crickets and the like, they need grit - that is why they are eating the sand.  They have no teeth so the only way they can digest their food is using the grit in their gizzard to grind it up for them!

Enjoying my 10-acres of country heaven with 50+ chickens, turkeys and muscovy ducks!

 

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Enjoying my 10-acres of country heaven with 50+ chickens, turkeys and muscovy ducks!

 

Read about my fox attack here

Read a fox attack survival story here

How to build a hoop house in 10 easy steps here

 

Are you from Kansas? (Click to show)

Come and join us on the Consolidated Kansas thread.  Don't try to read it all - just hit "reply", introduce yourself and join in the conversation:...

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post #3 of 8
2/20/12 at 7:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HEChicken View Post

Yes, if you are giving them mealworms, crickets and the like, they need grit - that is why they are eating the sand.  They have no teeth so the only way they can digest their food is using the grit in their gizzard to grind it up for them!



+1  That's exactly what I was going to say as well.  You have to give them grit, or at least put the sand back in for them to use as grit!

Mommy to BR (Onyx), 2 Delaware (Pearl & Opal), BO (Ruby), Blue Silkie (Amber), Splash Silkie (Raine), 2 Golden Laced Orps (Goldie & Lacey), 2 EE (Bunny & Rabbit) & 2 Blk Javas (Crow & Butterfly)!

Also a Pit/Mastiff mix, an American Bulldog, 1 cat, a guinea pig, a bearded dragon, and a koi pond.

Oh.. can't forget my daughter, granddaughter, step-son, and wonderful husband!

 

 

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Mommy to BR (Onyx), 2 Delaware (Pearl & Opal), BO (Ruby), Blue Silkie (Amber), Splash Silkie (Raine), 2 Golden Laced Orps (Goldie & Lacey), 2 EE (Bunny & Rabbit) & 2 Blk Javas (Crow & Butterfly)!

Also a Pit/Mastiff mix, an American Bulldog, 1 cat, a guinea pig, a bearded dragon, and a koi pond.

Oh.. can't forget my daughter, granddaughter, step-son, and wonderful husband!

 

 

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post #4 of 8
2/20/12 at 7:44pm
Thread Starter 

Oh, ok, so the sand will act as grit? its ok for them to eat it?

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post #5 of 8
2/20/12 at 8:07pm

I have a tractor that I put around my burn barrel. There are tons of tiny rocks around it that they like to eat. Will that serve as grit? 

My sweet puppy, Maggie (1yo), 3 adorable baby pet rats, Darby, Lilah, and Faye, 3 cats, 2 bunnies, a goldfish named Ghoti (pronounced "Fish"), 1 Khaki Campbell duckling, 1 Magpie duckling, and lots and lots of chickens!

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My sweet puppy, Maggie (1yo), 3 adorable baby pet rats, Darby, Lilah, and Faye, 3 cats, 2 bunnies, a goldfish named Ghoti (pronounced "Fish"), 1 Khaki Campbell duckling, 1 Magpie duckling, and lots and lots of chickens!

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post #6 of 8
2/20/12 at 10:14pm

The tiny rocks are likely too big.  One small bag (5 lbs) of chick grit should only cost a few dollars.  I would recommend purchasing a bag of it.  Depending upon how many chicks you have, one bag will likely be enough until the birds are old enough to give regular size grit.  I switch to regular grit (size #2) at around 12 weeks old.

1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, 2 Gold Laced Wyandotte, 1 BLRW, 1 Columbian Wyandotte, 4 Rhode Island Red, 6 Easter Eggers, 3 Barred Rock, 3 Welsummer, 2 Buff Orpington, 2 White Leghorn, 2 Brown Leghorn, 3 Gold Sex Links, 2 Delaware, 1 Mixed Maran.    And a partridge in a pear tree... (just kidding on the partridge).
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1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, 2 Gold Laced Wyandotte, 1 BLRW, 1 Columbian Wyandotte, 4 Rhode Island Red, 6 Easter Eggers, 3 Barred Rock, 3 Welsummer, 2 Buff Orpington, 2 White Leghorn, 2 Brown Leghorn, 3 Gold Sex Links, 2 Delaware, 1 Mixed Maran.    And a partridge in a pear tree... (just kidding on the partridge).
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post #7 of 8
2/21/12 at 7:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by felidaet View Post

The tiny rocks are likely too big.  One small bag (5 lbs) of chick grit should only cost a few dollars.  I would recommend purchasing a bag of it.  Depending upon how many chicks you have, one bag will likely be enough until the birds are old enough to give regular size grit.  I switch to regular grit (size #2) at around 12 weeks old.



I mean like almost grain of sand sized rocks. They are tiny.

My sweet puppy, Maggie (1yo), 3 adorable baby pet rats, Darby, Lilah, and Faye, 3 cats, 2 bunnies, a goldfish named Ghoti (pronounced "Fish"), 1 Khaki Campbell duckling, 1 Magpie duckling, and lots and lots of chickens!

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My sweet puppy, Maggie (1yo), 3 adorable baby pet rats, Darby, Lilah, and Faye, 3 cats, 2 bunnies, a goldfish named Ghoti (pronounced "Fish"), 1 Khaki Campbell duckling, 1 Magpie duckling, and lots and lots of chickens!

Reply
post #8 of 8
2/21/12 at 8:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charrisse View Post

Oh, ok, so the sand will act as grit? its ok for them to eat it?



Yes, it would. But, at your local farm store or TSC they should have mineral and digestive grits for chicks, which is better to use then sand. 

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