Chick Grit?

I read on another post that you should give them grit without calcium in it...I had bought canary grit and given it to them (that's what mypetchicken suggested) but I didn't even notice until now that it says on it, "granite grit, calcium and charcoal for superior digestion." Is that bad for them? I haven't kept grit in their brooder every day because they are pretty much just getting chick starter feed but every now and then I put it in because I have given them a few dried mealworms. Should I stop using this grit and get one that is not fortified with other stuff?!!! Thanks for any advice, the chicks will be 3 weeks old Monday if that helps any...
 
I have 6, 6 week old barred rocks. They have been having access to free range each day for about two weeks now. I had heard that since they get to free range in the backyard that they wouldn't need grit, but I'm worried that they won't get enough from our yard. Today, we got some chick grit, but the instructions on the back were not very clear. Will our guys be ok with chick grit or do they need adult grit due to their age? Also, the instructions said feed for a few weeks and then go up in size, but the girt only came in a 50lb bag. I think it will take us a while to use all 50lbs of the chick grit. When should the get regular grit?
 
I read on another post that you should give them grit without calcium in it...I had bought canary grit and given it to them (that's what mypetchicken suggested) but I didn't even notice until now that it says on it, "granite grit, calcium and charcoal for superior digestion." Is that bad for them? I haven't kept grit in their brooder every day because they are pretty much just getting chick starter feed but every now and then I put it in because I have given them a few dried mealworms. Should I stop using this grit and get one that is not fortified with other stuff?!!! Thanks for any advice, the chicks will be 3 weeks old Monday if that helps any...
Sandra- I'm wondering what you did about tht grit and your chicks. I bought what seems to be the same type of grit you did. My chicks are only 4 days old, so I"m wondering if I should be using this grit or not. Thanks!
 
They sell chick grit at the feedstore here and on the back of the bag it says to start giving them after they're three days old. I put mine in with the feed... just not too much so they don't eat that instead of the chick food.
 
Sandra- I'm wondering what you did about tht grit and your chicks. I bought what seems to be the same type of grit you did. My chicks are only 4 days old, so I"m wondering if I should be using this grit or not. Thanks!

Sorry I didn't answer, I haven't been on here in a while! I kept doing what I was doing, offering it very seldom when I was giving them treats. For the most part I didn't really give them treats though, besides the occasional dried mealworms, so the lack of grit didn't seem to matter (they don't need the grit to process the chick starter feed). They are all fine, 18 weeks old now and doing great. Of course now I have them on regular chicken grit but I let them free range in the evenings so I still don't give them grit all of the time. And now they do get a lot more treats :)
 
Sorry I didn't answer, I haven't been on here in a while! I kept doing what I was doing, offering it very seldom when I was giving them treats. For the most part I didn't really give them treats though, besides the occasional dried mealworms, so the lack of grit didn't seem to matter (they don't need the grit to process the chick starter feed). They are all fine, 18 weeks old now and doing great. Of course now I have them on regular chicken grit but I let them free range in the evenings so I still don't give them grit all of the time. And now they do get a lot more treats :)
Thanks Sandra. My chicks are almost 2 1/2 weeks old now and I just give it to them every once in a while also. At first they didn't like dried meal worms, but today they changed their minds!
 
Any chick starter feed I've used has grit within it. Nothing extra is needed. By the time they need larger grit they are outside and able to find their own. I've only supplied screened granite in the snowy winter months to reduce feed consumption. Personally I'd never buy grit as it's cost is equal or more than the extra food consumption cost. Crushed ledge stone can easily be obtained for free and I happen to live in the granite state so all the better.
 
So they will get grit out of the dirt in their run?
Whether or not they can get sufficient grit from the run depends on your soil. If it's gravelly and rocky they should find grit, if it's very fine and sandy they may not find grit of proper size. I just offer grit in a dish in the coop so I know they always have what they need right there.
 

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