My babies need grit, and I need help!

[Qi Chicken]

Man! These little buggers are growing fast! They are 10 days old now and starting to fly all over their great big box. One flew to the top of the waterer. The top of the waterer is half way to the top of the box!

I want to give them treats so they like me again! I have given them some scrambled egg but want to try other things so they need some grit. A few questions for you all:

1. Are they old enough?

2. I bought play sand and rinsed it with boiling water. Is this ok? (there was no parakeet grit at our walmart)

3. How do you give it? WHat is the proportion of grit to food. In cups please, I don't know how many pounds of food fit in our long feeder. Is it like 3 parts food to one part grit? Or some other easy proportion?

4. I was going to put a little bowl of it out as well. Is this a good idea?

5. I may have gotten unlucky but my chicks don't seem overly bright. (although they are still cute) I assume this is something they will just know how to do? They won't gorge themselves on grit and become ill or something?

6. How many days should they eat grit before I can start giving them treats?

Thanks so much!

 

[chicmom]

Hey there! Just put a little dish of it out....no measuring involved....and they will take what they want. My chicks loved freshly cut grass clippings. I don't really give treats until around 3 weeks.

Sharon

 

[Shifty Joe]

I've found that chicks love sand and will eat it like candy. They never seemed to have issue because of this, however they then enjoy tossing the sand around the pen. Grit should be always out and I believe once you give it to them they are ready for "real" food.

 

[jbowyer01]

I put a little dish of sand and a little DE in it. My chicks love it ecspecially if they find a little bug in the sand while scratching.

 

[Qi Chicken]

Ok, just put a little bowl out and they will eat it and be ready to go? The sand it wet and clumpy now from washing, it was also wet in the bag it came in. I assume I should just let it dry out first right?

 

[bigstack]

I would let it dry. Just be sure they don't fill up on sand. Its not common but it can happen. I just sprinkle 1 hand full over 1 quart of feed. I use the grushed granit from TSC. But now they are out in the pen. They have plenty of sand and small pebbles here.

Good luck and God Bless!