Chicken grit for chicks?

[kmdsparrow]

Is the typical chicken grit too big for chicks?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Chicks use #1 grit, then #2, then #3. It's on my grit bag, a chart. But they sell "chick grit" in little bags so you don't have to buy a big one. Chick grit is tiny sharp rock bits.

I have also seen people on this message board say you can go to the pet store and buy the grit used for in-house birds. I don't know about that because I haven't tried it.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

If it is of mixed sizes, the little ones will find the bits of grit just right for them (like they do if a broody is raising them outside).

You can also use sand.

 

[wildorchid053]

if they only eat chick starter then they need no grit.. if you are feeding other treats then they need the chick grit to digest it

 

[Yay Chicks!]

It's my understanding that you don't want to use the grit for indoor birds because it contains calcium. Extra calcium for young chicks is not a good thing and can cause kidney (I think I read it was kidney) damage.
When my chicks were young I just purchased a small bag of chick grit at the time I wanted to give them treats and that lasted until they were ready for the #2.
(I've never heard of #3 grit. My feed store doesn't carry it so I hope that it's not necessary)

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Yay Chicks! :

It's my understanding that you don't want to use the grit for indoor birds because it contains calcium. Extra calcium for young chicks is not a good thing and can cause kidney (I think I read it was kidney) damage.
When my chicks were young I just purchased a small bag of chick grit at the time I wanted to give them treats and that lasted until they were ready for the #2.
(I've never heard of #3 grit. My feed store doesn't carry it so I hope that it's not necessary)

The grit that I use is granite grit. There is a product I have heard of that has the oyster shells mixed in with the grit. I don't buy that.​

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Yay Chicks! :

It's my understanding that you don't want to use the grit for indoor birds because it contains calcium. Extra calcium for young chicks is not a good thing and can cause kidney (I think I read it was kidney) damage.
When my chicks were young I just purchased a small bag of chick grit at the time I wanted to give them treats and that lasted until they were ready for the #2.
(I've never heard of #3 grit. My feed store doesn't carry it so I hope that it's not necessary)

I give them grit in case they eat shavings, even before they are out eating grass. But I sprinkle it over the food, because new chicks will fill up on grit. After a couple of weeks, they just eat a little.​

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
I have not found this to be true for me and my birds.

My incubator chicks are given a sandwich container full of sand on their third day (the day my broodies generally leave the nest with chicks) and any purchased chicks are started right away with a container. My Broodies start finding bits of sand for the chicks as soon as they leave the nest. All of my birds also get whole grains from day 3 forward.

Any grit not needed by the gizzard passes out of the body. Grit is always being worn down and needing to be replaced, the tougher (granite) the grit - the slower it is to break down. Generally the grit I find in gizzards of birds 20 weeks and older, is just smaller than BB size.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
I have not found this to be true for me and my birds.

My incubator chicks are given a sandwich container full of sand on their third day (the day my broodies generally leave the nest with chicks) and any purchased chicks are started right away with a container. My Broodies start finding bits of sand for the chicks as soon as they leave the nest. All of my birds also get whole grains from day 3 forward.

Any grit not needed by the gizzard passes out of the body. Grit is always being worn down and needing to be replaced, the tougher (granite) the grit - the slower it is to break down. Generally the grit I find in gizzards of birds 20 weeks and older, is just smaller than BB size.

I have had chicks eat a whole bunch of grit. I was horrified. They just chowed down; I came back and it was almost all GONE.