grit-the store said no

[elmo]

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I smash up regular sized grit in a mortar and pestle for my very small bantam chicks.

 

[elmo]

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Sorry, but that makes no sense. Chicks being raised by a hen outdoors pick up all manner of things without "breaking" anything.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Chick grit is really tiny & I always start "salting" their feed with it at 3 days. They don't need much, but I started millet and other small seeds at 3-4 weeks. I still sprinkle their feed a couple times a week, even though they are out it a sandy run now. Never had a problem with starting small amounts of chick grit at 3 days old.

 

[HarryBun12]

My chicks love their grit and you'd think it was a special treat when I put more out. I got a box of parakeet grit from Walmart for less than $2.00 and it's been lasting a long time. They're starting to go out to free range a bit now, so they shouldn't need it anymore. If you offer it and they eat it you should be good.

 

[fratermus]

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Using parakeet grit here, too. I let them peck a few grains of it a day and they go nuts for it. This particular grit has a bit of calcium (oyster shells) in it, so I pick those pieces out when I see it. I'm feeding Purina start/grow but have been catching small bugs for them (like doodlebugs) so I suspect they will need the grit to crush up the bug skeletons.

 

[Carli]

Reading this thread after finding we are out of grit. Everything I read says to provide grit. Now I read this thread and I'm confused. Here are my birds' stats.

15 weeks old
In coop at night, outside in grassy run all day
Feed in coop and always available (this is almost gone and it was medicated chick feed)
A bit of store-bought scratch grains every couple of days as a treat

Do my chickens need store-bought grit???

 

[Kittymomma]

Yes. They probably can't get enough from a grass covered run and they need it to break down the grass and scratch. Rule of thumb is that if you would need teeth to chew it they need grit.

 

[TXmom]

I always provide store-bought grit for my chicks/chickens, even though they free-range. I give them Parakeet grit when they're less than 2 months old (it's only like $2 a box, and they love it like a treat). I use Chicken Grit (ground granite, like tiny rocks) sprinkled on the ground near the coop for the older birds. I know people say they can find their own grit on the ground outside, but I'm not sure about that here. Our "dirt" is black clay...when it rains, it's very slippery. I don't see any rocks or sand in our dirt. If I lived near my Dad where there is a lot of natural rocks and sand then I probably wouldn't buy grit.

 

[tammyd57]

I give my chicks grit as soon as they go in the brooder. My brooders are outside and have metal grills for tops that the light sits on. So you know at night that a lot of bugs get in there for them to catch and eat. We watch them at night chasing bugs around, it's hilarious!
Plus, at about 5 to 6 days old I start giving them greens and other stuff to eat, in small amounts, so that they know early on that if I give them something it is food. Saves a lot of freaking out when they get something new.
We live in an area that has really sandy/gravelly soil so I don't give grit after the chicks go on the ground.

ETA: I forgot to mention that the grit I've been giving them is just a scoop of dirt from my yard, it has all sizes of sand in it for them to choose from.

 

[CorralitosSunflower]

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I think that is a very good point, I said I don't give my chicks or chickens grit, but I DO give the chicks dirt (with sand and rocks) in their brooder so I suppose that is the most natural form of grit, and my adults have a dirt run and free-range with plenty of access to dirt. I guess I should change to saying I don't give my birds STORE-BOUGHT grit to make sure no one gets confused. Chickens DO need grit or they will die unless they are eating strictly starter/grower/layer, but I don't think there is anything better about a store bought grit than the "grit" you have around your house. Just one more thing to buy and one more thing that could have added yucky stuff along the way to your chickens mouth (I feed organically). Now if you live somewhere that doesn't have good dirt than I would be all for the packaged stuff.