How young is to young to feed chick grit to baby chicks?

[JULIE L CORWIN]

Miscalculated the age of my young chicks. I thought they were 2 and 3 weeks old. When they were actually 1 and 2 weeks old. Put chick grit in there food. I've read that you not to put it in till 3 weeks old. Will this hurt them or help them. I f it hurts them. Should I not feed it to them. How will it hurt them? Thank you for any information that you can give me.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I offer it to them at about 3 days. I don't mix it in the food. They have access to dirt and grass at about that point and are on shavings. Sooner is better than later imo. Chicks raised by a broody start pecking the dirt and getting "grit" right away and they don't fall over dead.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I started at 3 days old as well, as that was how old they were when I got them.

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't put it in the feed. I get them eating well, then offer it. My chicks get a plug of sod, which has sand, soil and grit in it.

 

[Lizardlicks]

There is no too soon or too late. Baby chicks that live outside with mom and wander around pecking at the same things she does will eat tiny rocks for grit from day one. Grit is for digestion. Chicks need grit whenever they're eating anything that isn't crumbles. Since crumbles are designed to be easily digested, it's not necessary to include grit if they're just eating chick starter crumbles and nothing else. As soon as you introduce a different feed type, you should introduce grit in a separate container free choice.