chick grit

[tuskajones]

Hello!

I am getting my 25 cornish x next week and have a questions about grit for the chicks.

how long will they need chick grit vs. "adult" grit? one store only sells 50# bags of chick grit which seems like too much but this is my first time doing this. can i use sand/something else for grit for the chicks?

also something that surprised me from the feed store lady--she kept talking about selling starter/grower grit, finisher grit and turkey grit. i said "you mean feed?" and she said "no, these are different types of grit we sell." does this sound right?

thank you!

 

[chickflick]

but maybe someone else will come along and know how to answer...

 

[LynneP]

Yep. I ordered a bag of starter grit and it came in, but one of the men at the co-op loaded the wrong grit in the bed of my truck. I discovered this when we got home, drove back and was apologetically told that 'my' starter grit had been sold only moments before. I've ordered another. Glazed expression. You can start sprinkling it on your starter crumbles at about 3 days.

 

[meriruka]

Most chick starter feed contains a complete chick diet. You only need grit if you plan to give them anything besides the feed.

 

[tuskajones]

Most chick starter feed contains a complete chick diet. You only need grit if you plan to give them anything besides the feed.

I am planning on giving them Nutrena MeatMaker (or some such name) and it says on the package to give grit. I thought too that just the commercial feed would be okay but gotta follow those directions (?). What do you think?

Kelly​

 

[meriruka]

I wish I could help, but I've never raised meat birds, just layers. I've never fed mine grit until they got outside and began demolishing my yard/garden. Probably following the instructions on your supplement is the best way to go. Hopefully someone experienced with meat birds can help, maybe if you moved the thread to that category?

 

[RoostersCrow]

If it a fully milled feed no grit is needed for digestion. Grit is needed if the gizzard has to do the milling.

 

[Winter]

I was thinking of getting parkeet grit from the pet store for the chicks. I don't want 50lbs! It would just be so they can have the occasional treat other than their crumbles.

 

[DLS]

Mcm.sent me 2 small ziploc bags of grit with the chicks.Yesterday I stopped at the feed store & looked at what they had. BIG GRIT, oystershells, & parrot grit. what6 the hatchery sent me was parrot grit it is red looking & smaller.It sells at the feed store for $1.99 per 5 lbs. I bought 20 lbs that should last a while.

 

[3peeps]

I need to go to either the feed mill or Fleet Farm ( my favorite local store for yard/farm stuff) to get some chick grit.

I'm going to give it to them this time because I've got them brooding under a mama hen, and I plan to let them out on the grass in a few days. I didn't do it for my first three, but they were raised completely indoors on beginner crumbles....I thought I had messed up at the time by forgetting it, but they were fine.