Can’t Find Chick Grit!

[hsk1977]

Hi all! I have new babies that are now 5 days old. (I’m already in love!) We got our first flock in 2020, and this is just the second time I’ve had babies. I feel like a newbie all over again! LOL

I currently have paper towels over the pine shavings in their brooder but would like to add grit before I have them directly on the pine shavings. Unfortunately, I am having the hardest time finding chick grit. All of the stores I’ve checked have been sold out for the last week or so.

I have a bag of poultry grit and threw a little in my blender but am still not sure if I got it small enough. Will they eat pieces that are too big for them? Should I just wait and keep looking? I may have to just order online but it will be Thursday before Amazon would deliver.

 

[LaFleche]

You can use sand, it works for baby chicks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you have a sieve sift out whatever you got there and give them the smallest bits. You're looking for pieces approximately this size:

 

[hsk1977]

If you have a sieve sift out whatever you got there and give them the smallest bits. You're looking for pieces approximately this size:
View attachment 4149012

Thank you! That’s what I will do.

 

[ColoradoChicken89]

Yeah I was also struggling to find the tiny chick grit! Its very strange. But I just got normal grit (think it's just a mix of sizes), and then took a rock hammer too the medium to large pieces lol. Put it through a sieve and tossed the too big pieces back in the bag once I had enough.

I don't need much though as mine though, as they really only get a tiny bit with a single meal worm each, for 7 chicks, and no bedding (other than potty pads that they leave alone)... so it might be tedious if someone needed more.

 

[D Uccle Uncle]

I have a bag of poultry grit and threw a little in my blender but am still not sure if I got it small enough. Will they eat pieces that are too big for them?

Chicks naturally seek grit. In the wild, they will avoid grit too large or too small when appropriate size is available (they know what they're doing).

My advice, if only adult grit is available, is to grind up a few batches from 'probably too small' to 'probably too big,' allow this all to mix together, and put it in a container mixed with starter crumble off to the side of the normal chick feeder. The chicks will seek out grit and choose appropriately.

No expert, I've never heard or read of a problem with a chick having problems after consuming too-large grit, where too-small grit just passes through them (not causing a problem per se, just being less effective).

 

[Altairsky]

If you have no sand available somewhere in the soil, try to go to an aquarium shop and buy some aquarium sand. There are different sizes.

 

[hsk1977]

Thanks, everyone! Our TSC finally got in some chick grit yesterday so u was able to get a bag. I put some in a mason jar lid and gave it to my babies and they went nuts. I finally took it out because I was afraid they’d eat too much. They are a week old today. I thought I’d sprinkle a little over their food daily and maybe let them have access to a lid of it for a little while each evening until in trust that they aren’t filling up on it.

 

[Airyaman]

Thanks, everyone! Our TSC finally got in some chick grit yesterday so u was able to get a bag. I put some in a mason jar lid and gave it to my babies and they went nuts. I finally took it out because I was afraid they’d eat too much. They are a week old today. I thought I’d sprinkle a little over their food daily and maybe let them have access to a lid of it for a little while each evening until in trust that they aren’t filling up on it.

If you are feeding them starter feed they won't need grit. I've found that yes, when first exposed to wood shavings, chicks will eat some, and I do tend to give them grit after that, but they stop eating shavings soon after learning it really isn't food. They will only need grit if you add other types of food but at 5 days old, don't see any reason to feed them treats.

 

[WildNectarine]

If you are feeding them starter feed they won't need grit. I've found that yes, when first exposed to wood shavings, chicks will eat some, and I do tend to give them grit after that, but they stop eating shavings soon after learning it really isn't food. They will only need grit if you add other types of food but at 5 days old, don't see any reason to feed them treats.

Taming could be one reason, but I agree, too early, they really need the full complete diet the commercial feed provides, and any treats dilute that. As a side note, wood shavings, even pine and aspen, are toxic to birds due to their scent oils, and while it isn't something that’ll kill them right away, it isn’t good, especially not for leg development since they’re on this fluffy puffy stuff. And, giving birds any kind of “play” or “aquarium” sand, any very fine sand really, could cause crop impactions if they gorge themselves on it, since it has a “clumping” action when wet.