4 week old chicks

[Jennifer27fl]

I occasionally give my chicks oatmeal for a treat 3 times a week. Should I start them on chick grit so I can introduce other treats to them such as worms and seeds?

 

[Yardmom]

If chicks are given any food besides starter they need grit. If they only get starter it is still a good idea. Many of my chicks are raised by broodies. The hen takes the chicks to grit soon after leaving the nest.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I start grit on their second or third day in the brooder. I want them ready in case they eat something other than what I feed them. It will not hurt them and might help them.

I don't see any downside to giving them some grit now. I don't know that it will hurt them to not start them on grit but why would you wait? What benefit do you see?

 

[Jennifer27fl]

I start grit on their second or third day in the brooder. I want them ready in case they eat something other than what I feed them. It will not hurt them and might help them.

I don't see any downside to giving them some grit now. I don't know that it will hurt them to not start them on grit but why would you wait? What benefit do you see?

I have just read not to but they will be going to a coop in a few weeks and I would like them to be ready especially since I would like to start giving fruits and vegetables as a treat.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I understand, you can read about anything. If you don't know, you don't know what to believe. Do you have a link to where you read that? I'd like to read it in context. Sometime things that make no sense actually do in context though much of the time it is just misread or misunderstood.

I suspect it said something like they don't have to have grit as long as all they eat is the purchased chick feed. That is true, they do not have to have it in that case if the chick feed has already been ground. But I've yet to read where it hurts them. I just don't see any reason to not give it to them. It is cheap insurance if they eat something where they need it.

 

[Jennifer27fl]

I believe on this site was one of the places I read it, but I would have to look for the thread.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm with @Yardmom on this. As soon as my birds have access to anything other than wet mash crumble, they have grit available. I don't see a downside to having it available earlier (assuming its appropriately sized - I can't find "chick grit" locally), but I don't see an urgency either.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I can't find "chick grit" locally), but I don't see an urgency either.

I do not buy grit of any size. My broody hens take care of that by taking their chicks where they can peck the ground. For my brooder raised chicks I feed them some dirt from the run. They get grit from the small pebbles and bits of rock in it. I make sure it has small bits in it. They start working on any flock immunities they may need and they get the benefit of any probiotics the adults pass on. You don't get all of these benefits by buying chick grit.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I do not buy grit of any size. My broody hens take care of that by taking their chicks where they can peck the ground. For my brooder raised chicks I feed them some dirt from the run. They get grit from the small pebbles and bits of rock in it. I make sure it has small bits in it. They start working on any flock immunities they may need and they get the benefit of any probiotics the adults pass on. You don't get all of these benefits by buying chick grit.

Sandy clay. No grit in my soils.

People fortunate enough to have natural grit available need not buy more.

 

[Altairsky]

Broody hens feed their chick soil as soon as they can walk. Soil provide grit and expose them to cocci, which is important for them to build immunity to local strains.
Providing soil and grit to chicks in their first week of life is very important, whether they're hatched by a hen or an incubator.