Bread and Grit

[Chikk]

Betty and Wilma are crazy for wheat bread. You'd think they were starving, the way they go at it! They're about a month old. Is it okay for them to have bread now? They haven't shown much interest in egg, fruit or veggies, but they love bread, oats and corn meal.
When should they be given grit?

 

[Yay Chicks!]

If you are feeding them things other than chicken feed, things that require "chewing," then now is the time to feed grit. Grit acts like teeth in the gizzard.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Betty and Wilma are crazy for wheat bread. You'd think they were starving, the way they go at it! They're about a month old. Is it okay for them to have bread now? They haven't shown much interest in egg, fruit or veggies, but they love bread, oats and corn meal.
When should they be given grit?

Before they are 3 days old or get their first chicken food is the best time to give them grit. But better late than never.

 

[Chikk]

The grit I have is very coarse and it says on the bag the chicks should be at least 10 weeks old. I was thinking about using a hammer to make the grit a little smaller and easier to swallow. Maybe I should keep the bread treat to minimum?
We had our first chicken emergency today when poor little Wilma found a thread that was attached to a towel I use to cover part of their cage at night, to keep the heat in. The thread got wrapped around Wilma's tongue! She was tied up by the tongue and freaking out. I reached in the cage and held her while my husband cut the thread. She stayed pretty calm in my hands while husband unwound the thread from her tongue. She seems okay now. Gosh, I was upset! I hate to see an animal in distress. It made me realize how attached I am, already, to my little chooks.