Do chicks need grit??

[nhchickmom]

I got my first day old baby chicks today and started them on medicated chick feed that my local AGWAY recommended for the first 8 weeks. The chick feed is in crumble form. Do these chicks need grit as well or can they eat just straight food?

Thanks and plan to post pic's tomorrow. They are so darn cute!

 

[gritsar]

Congrats on your new chicks. They don't need grit until you start feeding foods other than their chick starter.

 

[chickenlittle32]

Congrats on the new chicks!! They will need grit once they start eating grass/greens.

 

[m2wandc]

Quote:
I noticed a lump (full crop) on the right side of my chicks neck on day two home...so I was guessing that the start feed I was offering was different from what they were getting...totally unsure, and also eager to give treats...so I started giving grit about day 3 of them being home with me...roughly half a week old and the full crop went down in about a day or so and then a few days after them having grit available (free choice next to their food) I started giving them treats now and then...(at a day or two over a week of age...I think most say two weeks before treats, but I couldn't help myself.

ANYHOW...correct me if I'm wrong, it doesn't hurt to have it available...but they don't NEED it unless they are eating other things (ie: shavings, treats, etc) besides the starter feed.

I think my kid's crops popped up in hind sight from all the shavings they ate! So I was glad the grit got them back down and to a more comfortable looking neck! LOL

 

[Ridgerunner]

Chicks do not need grit if all they are eating is the commercial starter. For most treats they do need grit. Can you control everythig they eat? What if a bug fatally wanders into their brooder? Might they eat bits of their litter in which case they might need some help getting it through their system? I know I go overboard on it and many people are successful not offering grit to chicks, but I don't see any harm in their having grit and I see that there might be some harm if they do not have grit. Purely my personal opinion. When you do give grit, you do need to watch and see that they do not think of it as food. It is possible they can eat too much. I wait until day 3 to offer grit.

 

[nhchickmom]

Quote:
Good point. I do notice them eating shavings so I will go ahead and add in a little grit. THANKS TO ALL!

 

[m2wandc]

How are they doing now? is the lump down? gone? I noticed it took a few days to go down for my girls...