Chick Grit

[LindaN]

I purchased the chick starter kit from Meyer when I ordered my chicks and it includes a bag of chick grit.

They are 3 weeks old now and only eating chick feed. Although I've offered them some fresh veggies, yogurt, and a bit of cottage cheese (all things my grown hens like) they don't seem to know what to do with it.

Since they're not eating anything but the chick feed at this point, do they need the grit yet? When do I start offering them the grit?

My current trio of hens of came to me as 17-week old pullets so I'm not sure how to handle this part of chick-raising. So far, so good. Although, they are getting big amazingly fast!

 

[gumpsgirl]

As long as they are only eating the chick starter, they do not need grit. The chick starter is finely ground and can pass through the chicks crops without the aid of the grit. If you offer any other foods other than the starter, that's when you offer the grit.

 

[JennsPeeps]

I'd give them the grit and either let them free-choice it or give it once a day or so. My girls LOVED grit so much I couldn't believe it.

They were on it like flies on chicken poo.

 

[arlee453]

They don't need grit until they are eating something other than starter.

It won't hurt them to sprinkle a little over their food though.

 

[pkeeler]

I read a study that showed chicks fed grit free choice had larger, more developed gizzards than chicks that were not (both sets only ate commercial feed). So, even if they are eating only commercial feed, it is beneficial to feed grit. Sprinkle it like salt on their feed or leave it free choice. Since grit is not digestable, their feed intake will not be effected (i.e. they won't eat the grit in place of food). The chicks in the study that had access to grit ate the same amount of food as the chicks without grit.

 

[JennsPeeps]

If someone had told me 6 months ago that I'd have an opinion about when chicks get grit, I would have laughed at them.

 

[needmorechickens!]

Quote:

For real! Me too!

~Rebecca

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
That is very interesting! I put a bowl of grit out for my chicks once and they ate the whole bowl like starter! It never hurt them, but I didn't do it again because it had not nutritional value and I didn't want them to fill of up in instead of the food. I learn something everyday!