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Full crops in chicks - add grit?

post #1 of 6
3/21/12 at 3:17pm
Thread Starter 

I know that chicks don't need grit, but my 4 week old chicks have very full crops on a diet of only medicated chick feed. It won't hurt them if i give them some grit, will it?  They ate it up very quickly. Don't remember if my previous chicks had full crops at this age...

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post #2 of 6
3/21/12 at 3:34pm
My chicks always had full crops...they eat constantly. Chick grit wont hurt just don't let them eat a whole bowl full:)
1 boy, 1 girl,1 hubby, 1 weiner dog,1 cat, 1 lovebird, 1 cockatiel,turtle, hampster, 14 new zealand rabbits,2 holland lops, hermit crabs and fish. 38 chickens- newly hatched baby silkies!!!!!!!!!, blrw,glw, slw, ancona, barred rock, red sex link, cochins and bantam cochins, d' uccles, splash marans, salmon faverolles,austrolorpe, buff orphington, black star,buff and light brahmas.
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1 boy, 1 girl,1 hubby, 1 weiner dog,1 cat, 1 lovebird, 1 cockatiel,turtle, hampster, 14 new zealand rabbits,2 holland lops, hermit crabs and fish. 38 chickens- newly hatched baby silkies!!!!!!!!!, blrw,glw, slw, ancona, barred rock, red sex link, cochins and bantam cochins, d' uccles, splash marans, salmon faverolles,austrolorpe, buff orphington, black star,buff and light brahmas.
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post #3 of 6
3/21/12 at 5:38pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks!  I think it was actually medium grit, but I guess if it were a problem, they wouldn't eat it. :-)

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post #4 of 6
3/22/12 at 1:14am

Course grit helps them grind up the food during the digestive process.  Very fine ground oyster shell grit gives them an extra source of protein which is good for their egg shells and feathers.

Read about the antics of my little flock on my blog at    http://muckycluckers.blogspot.com/

“Mucky Cluckers – Tales from the hen run” e-book is at http://amzn.to/xT4DkE   A humorous look at chicken keeping and what they don’t tell you in the “How to” books.

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Read about the antics of my little flock on my blog at    http://muckycluckers.blogspot.com/

“Mucky Cluckers – Tales from the hen run” e-book is at http://amzn.to/xT4DkE   A humorous look at chicken keeping and what they don’t tell you in the “How to” books.

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post #5 of 6
3/22/12 at 5:41am

 

Quote:

 Very fine ground oyster shell grit gives them an extra source of protein which is good for their egg shells and feathers.

 I disagree with this.  Oyster shell is fed for calcium, not protein and will hurt the growing chicks organs if they get it at a young age.  Oyster shell should only be given to laying hens at or nearing POL and beyond.

 

I fed my chicks chick grit which is finer than regular grit from week 1, I also fed them treats, greens, mealworms etc regularly from that age. If you only feed chick starter you don't need the grit, I think i read somewhere that grit was incorporated already in the chick crumbles.

16 hens own me.  3 Black Australorps, 3 Dominiques, 2 Golden Laced Wyandottes, 3 Welsummers, 3 golden comets, 1 New Hampshire Red and 1 Ameraucana. 

Chicken Math in action -- sell three, buy seven -- build another coop - harvest two, order 12. New chicks arriving in May 2013! 6 Ameraucana's and 6 Anconas.

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16 hens own me.  3 Black Australorps, 3 Dominiques, 2 Golden Laced Wyandottes, 3 Welsummers, 3 golden comets, 1 New Hampshire Red and 1 Ameraucana. 

Chicken Math in action -- sell three, buy seven -- build another coop - harvest two, order 12. New chicks arriving in May 2013! 6 Ameraucana's and 6 Anconas.

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post #6 of 6
3/22/12 at 5:49am

Doesn't hurt to feed grit. In fact, I've always been of the opinion that getting their little gizzards active at a young age is benneficial........Pop

In God We Trust

Siyah Rampuri Asil, White Chinese, Emden, and African Geese, Guineas, a Rottweiler (Bella), and a Yellow Lab (Booger). Fifty five years with chickens and still learning.

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In God We Trust

Siyah Rampuri Asil, White Chinese, Emden, and African Geese, Guineas, a Rottweiler (Bella), and a Yellow Lab (Booger). Fifty five years with chickens and still learning.

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Uncle Sam Expects You To Keep Hens and Raise Chickens!!
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Have you ever wondered how a hen can lay an egg every day?
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