Havent been giving grit ooops is it ok?

[littlebirdoz]

So new to this and I was looking around reading posts like crazy and I saw someone mention that if you give meal worms then you should give grit. I didn't give grit and I gave my girls meal worms and they ate them up in 2 seconds. Why is this needed and are they going to be ok. It was over a week ago. They are 9 weeks.
TIA

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Grit acts as teeth. The grit stays in the gizzard and as the food passes from the crop to the gizzard it gets ground up. So, the way to think about it is, if the food needs "teeth", then yes, grit should be given.

 

[Chickiebabyfluff]

when should you introduce grit to baby chicks?

 

[littlebirdoz]

Ok so I know what the grit is for but why with the meal worms and not with the chick starter food??? They also free range for a couple of hours a day.

 

[annie3001]

honestly, i have never given grit. all my chickens are about 2 years old and are fine. they were indoors for the 8 week time slight. all they got was their feed. then outside after that. they free range part of the day, perhaps "thats their grit". but i have never bought it. jmo.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

It could be that they are finding their own "grit" while free ranging.

 

[constantine337]

As long as their free ranging I wouldn't worry too much. They will find the grit they need but it wouldn't hurt to buy some and throw it out to them every once in a while, just to make sure.

 

[Ariel301]

They don't need grit if they are eating a pellet/crumble feed because it is basically grain ground up into a flour and then formed into pellets. When it is wet down inside the crop when the birds drink water, it dissolves. Insects, fruit, vegetables, and grains don't, and that's why they need grit with those foods. If the chickens have access to the ground outdoors, they can find their own grit by eating sand and small gravel pieces. If those are not available, you can either buy packaged grit or find something appropriately sized outdoors to offer them. (My preference, since it's free!)

 

[littlebirdoz]

Quote:
Thank you. Now I understand.

 

[reksat]

Some of the starter food contains ground grit within it.