Chick grit? Treats for 1 weeks?

[kellykate]

Is there a grit specifically for chicks? I have 1 week old chicks and would like to start giving them small mealworms and other treats (suggestions?). I know that I need to provide grit but am not sure if it needs to be a finer grit than regular Chicken Grit? Thanks!

 

[LynneP]

At that age you'll be happier and have healthier chicks if you stick to commercial starter crumbles. Their immune systems are weak for a long time and controlling what they eat can be the difference between 100% survival and not...your starter crumble should have grit in it...check!

And yes, chick grit is far finer than hen grit...

 

[speckledhen]

I agree. Best not to give them treats for the first month, except possibly a bit of chopped hardboiled egg. If you do, realize that they do need grit and that the 'treat' should be something with a good protein content.

 

[countrybum]

For the 1st 2 and a 1/2 months, all my chicks get is Chicken starter. First medicated, then regular. After that they move to the coop and from there they can have the grit if they want it. If you want to give them a treat, set a little slice of apple, baked potato, tomato, or banana in there for them.

 

[kellykate]

Ok great! Thanks for the help
So for chopped hard-boiled-egg and yogurt --there is no need for grit. And otherwise hold off from "treats" such as scratch, mealworms, oatmeal etc. until they are a couple months old? Thanks again!

 

[tankernav1]

I'm curious to hear this answer too. I'm one of those that obsessively watches the temp and wants to make sure to do it just-so. Ours are only about 5 days old but I was going to put a stick in there on the bottom of their brooder to walk on. They love jumping up on the humps (in the towel that we are using on the bottom) and so I thought they would like the stick. I feel like they are bored and can't wait till we can offer them treats and they get excited to hear us coming! Do I buy the chick grit just like I got the chick starter? But don't start it until we offer treats. Do you just put it on the bottom of the brooder? Do they know what to do with it? Thanks!

 

[countrybum]

Quote:
Sticks are fine. I use a cardboard box to start them in and put the stick through some holes. As for grit at 5 days, I would not do it. Offer them a slice of apple or baked potato, even lettuce. Someone else said hard boiled egg and yogurt. I use apple and they just peck at it for a few days. I then remove the old and put in new.

 

[neversaychick]

My children feed our 2 week olds some live crickets this weekend. Bad idea? They are on starter crumble and I add sprinklings of baby grit that I got from McMurrary with the crumble.

 

[LynneP]

I used scrap pieces of 4x4's in the brooder chamber and the chicks started lining up on them. Interestingly, the pecking order at the top remained the same, there was some shifting in the middle and bottom. The *love* to organize themselves. Also used some budgie mirrors with bells and made them an archway to mimic the pop door...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-A_Brooder

 

[Kim_NC]

We start giving ours clover and grass clipings at 2-3 weeks. They love it - and grow-up to be better greens eaters as hens IMO. Since greens (and orange vegetables) help to darken the yolks and make them richer, we consider it important. But we also feed a little higher protein chick starter crumbles - 19%.

We give chick grit - as mentioned, it's smaller than hen grit. Most places like TSC or farm stores carry it. We mix it 10% with their starter crumbles until they're 5-6 weeks old. After that, we offer it free choice.