Grit for brooder?

[JennD08]

We have a mixed flock that are 5 weeks old (4 barred rock, 5 ameracauna, 3 Rhode Island Red). They are on starter and bedding is shaved pine chips. We have given them a few crickets now because when a bug got in the brooder these ladies went nuts and gobbled it down. I, however, did not see about grit and we did sprinkle some mealworms in for them as well as a a couple pieces of greens. Nothing as a meal replacement but now I'm worried about getting grit to them ASAP as I don't want them to get sick

I wish I had read and asked about grit sooner, but what is best choice for them that I can go get today? I love my girls and don't want them to get sick. They seem to just adore the treats and that they can scratch and actually find food

 

[3riverschick]

Yes they're going to select the best of what is available .the best that is best for them is insoluble sharp-edged grit. Granite is the best selection there. Granite grit for poultry began because the poultry farmers in the 1930s clamored for it . they realized that when they fed sharp-edged insoluble Grit their Birds laid more eggs.
It's not about what the birds can get by with, it's about what's best for the birds. Fed sharp-edged insoluble grit, the bird grows a healthier larger stronger gizzard. this helps the bird to stay healthier plus it lays up to 20% more eggs per bird.
There is an 89 Page ,'Bibliography of Grit " online (full view read, keyword searchable) at Hathitrust Digital Library. you can read it all there. each cite in the bibliography has an abstract of that study.
I don't understand the aversion to feeding Granite grit . People spend so much time on mealworms, special treats, sprouting seeds, fancy coops and all this . Yet for some reason, something as important to the bird as proper grit seems to be adverseral. It's less then $10 for a 50 pound sack. The granite poultry grit industry started in 1935. For over eighty years, poultry Farmers have known that Granite grit is the best for chickens.
Best,
Karen

 

[Poultry parent]

You can buy guck grit, but I just dump some dirt in with mine, they get tiny bits of rock from that and it's works fine

 

[JennD08]

Our dirt is just Georgia clay. Would sand or oyster shell be too much for the little gals? They seem so happy foraging up the mealworms and chasing the crickets; I'd like to keep them happy and not bored

 

[Poultry parent]

Sand is fine too

 

[JennD08]

Thank you!

 

[MigraineMan]

I have a 40lb bag of play sand sitting on the driveway. When I take the used bedding out to the compost pile, I grab a handful of sand and re-charge the coffee-can lid in the brooder. They'll attack it like it's mealworms ... then scratch in it and ultimately turn it upside down and dump the sand into the bedding.

 

[3riverschick]

No Sand will not do, its too small. it will pass right through the chicken .oyster shell has too much calcium in it, that will not do . plain stones from the yard aren't sharp enough, they won't do . You need insoluable granite grit which will have sharp edges.

best go to the store and buy some chicken grit .

go to your search engine ,type in : Gran-i-grit PDF : An online brochure will come up . the second page of the of the brochure lists the size grit you need for the age of your chickens.
okay have a good day.
Thank you,
Karen

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

I never feed my chicks grit.After they are 8-10 days old, I let them roam in a covered secure pen, for no more then 25 minutes with complete super vision.So unless your feeding pasta or anything beside feed, hard boiled egg and yogurt, they will be fine without grit.

 

[MigraineMan]

No Sand will not do, its too small. it will pass right through the chicken .oyster shell has too much calcium in it, that will not do . plain stones from the yard aren't sharp enough, they won't do . You need insoluable granite grit which will have sharp edges.

best go to the store and buy some chicken grit .

go to your search engine ,type in : Gran-i-grit PDF : An online brochure will come up . the second page of the of the brochure lists the size grit you need for the age of your chickens.
okay have a good day.
Thank you,
Karen

Not to be obtuse, but how did chickens survive before Gran-i-Grit was available?

Play sand has quite the selection of grit sizes (see pic). Masonry sand would not be my first choice.