2-3 week old chick pooing blood...

[ChickenCanoe]

But I can see little shells in it? That's all it is. Little shells.

You are absolutely right in your observation. That's what I said. It isn't grit. It is oyster shell - NOT GRIT.

And absolutely inappropriate for feeding to baby chicks.
Just hold onto it (keep it dry) and you can use it in 5 months when your birds are ready to lay.

 

[blakeee]

You are absolutely right in your observation. That's what I said. It isn't grit. It is oyster shell - NOT GRIT.

Oh okay. So that's no use to me at all. Will they be okay without grit until sometime next week? Do I just have to stop taking them outside?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

No, they'll be fine because they may be able to find their own grit from the soil outside.

 

[blakeee]

No, they'll be fine because they may be able to find their own grit from the soil outside.

Okay, great. I'm setting up a bigger caged area tomorrow and I'll put it over where the grass isn't too thick so they can get into the ground.

 

[getaclue]

Oyster Shell is NOT grit. Don't give them Oyster Shell yet. Oyster shell IS a calcium supplement for laying hens, and is usually offered free-choice, to provide a bit of extra calcium if needed, and when needed. I said the grit sold in the grocery store for parakeets would work, but they do sell it in most feed stores as chick grit. If I remember correctly, Mana Pro sells all of theirs a grit, then sub labels it as chick grit, poultry grit. Yes, it's usually granite.

 

[blakeee]

Oyster Shell is NOT grit. Don't give them Oyster Shell yet. Oyster shell IS a calcium supplement for laying hens, and is usually offered free-choice, to provide a bit of extra calcium if needed, and when needed. I said the grit sold in the grocery store for parakeets would work, but they do sell it in most feed stores as chick grit. If I remember correctly, Mana Pro sells all of theirs a grit, then sub labels it as chick grit, poultry grit. Yes, it's usually granite.

I don't know that brand. I'm unsure if that's available in Australia. Where I live there isn't a whole lot of choice in products either. I'm going to keep an eye out or just let them find it themselves outside.

 

[getaclue]

I suspect they would be able to find enough in the dirt, but that depends on your dirt. A bag of playground sand from the hardware store is also an alternative. Put some of it around in their outside area.

 

[azygous]

Grit. It's absolutely essential for digestion if you are feeding anything besides chick feed to baby chicks. Without grit, baby chicks can get into some serious digestive trouble and even die from it.

As long as your chicks have been romping on the natural soil outdoors, they have probably already consumes a gizzard full of natural grit.

Here's a way to know for sure if there is adequate natural grit in your soil. Scoop up a handful of dry dirt where the chicks have been playing. Take a household strainer, such as you'd use to strain orange juice, and let the soil strain through it. What remains in the strainer will be rocks of different sizes.

Now, take a magnifying glass and look at the rocks. If they have nice sharp, angular edges, it's perfect for grit. However, if the rocks are rounded with no sharp edges, it's lousy as grit. Think garbage disposal blades that have been seriously worn out and are now all rounded on the edges.

The average size grit adult chickens select is about 3 mm, baby chicks select grit that is closer to grains of sand. But the grains have to be sharp, not rounded as some play sand is. You need to examine it through a hand lens to be sure it will do.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I don't know that brand. I'm unsure if that's available in Australia. Where I live there isn't a whole lot of choice in products either. I'm going to keep an eye out or just let them find it themselves outside.

The oyster shell you have will be useful in another 5 months when your birds are at point of lay so hold onto it. When you use it, put it in a separate container and the birds that feel the need will consume some. I put mine either next to the feed or next to the nest boxes.
Always keep it dry as the consistency and chemical composition changes when it gets wet.
I'm sure most of the brand names recommended aren't available down under. However, they will have similar products.
This is a breakdown of grit sizes and ages of birds for which they are intended.
http://www.tccmaterials.com/pdf/CSpoultrygritdata.pdf

 

[blakeee]

UPDATE:
Woke up with NO dead chicks. I was given some cocci treatment yesterday and the vets said to only treat for 2 days and then for another 2 days in 2 weeks. It is forecast to rain for up to the next week so I won't be able to take them outside as I have no area where the rain won't affect them. I found another poo with a tiny, tiny bit of blood in it this morning. Two of the chicks sleep a lot during the day but when they're awake they are running around happy. I don't know what that means. If it makes any difference they are sussex cross bantam chicks I am pretty sure.